Is the ‘Roaracle' magic gone?

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OAKLAND -- After a torrent of well-meaning passes poorly executed, the Warriors on Friday night landed in a place they never imagined they’d be.

They’re vulnerable at Oracle Arena.

No, really vulnerable.

A 111-100 loss to the unexceptional but determined Charlotte Hornets, before the 258th consecutive sellout at Oracle, leaves the Warriors at 14-5 at home. That’s fine by most measures but well below the standard this team has set in recent years.

So dominating were the Warriors at home that the Players’ Voice Awards voted Oracle -- once upon a time known as “Roaracle” -- the best homecourt advantage in each of the last three seasons.

The Warriors lost a total of nine home games over the past three seasons. They were 36-5 at home last season, 39-2 at Oracle in 2015-16 and 39-2 again in 2014-15.

They’ve lost two home games in the past week.

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The Warriors, this season, have fallen at home to the Hornets, the Nuggets, the Kings, the Pistons and, on opening night, the Rockets. All but Houston came into Oakland with records vastly interior to that possessed by the Warriors.

Moreover, the Warriors have given back substantial leads in four of the five games. They led the Kings by 10, led the Pistons by 14 and led the Rockets by 17.

They also led the Hornets, who came in with a 12-22 record, by nine on Friday, only to fall behind by as much as 15. The primary culprit was 18 turnovers, leading to 32 Charlotte points.

“We can’t have that and win a basketball game,” Durant said. “I don’t care who’s out on the court. We can’t do that. Our defense wasn’t as . . . we weren’t flying around and having as much energy as we should have.”

There was a time when Oracle provided energy on nights the Warriors clearly needed it. That was Roaracle, conceivably the best Sixth Man in NBA history

There was no sign of Roaracle Friday night and, honestly, it has been making only occasional appearances this season. It was of zero help against the Hornets.

This is how the Warriors, whose 28-8 record still is the best in the NBA, ended up walking out of Oracle late Friday night with a better record on the road (14-3) than at home.

“We’ve lost two games on this homestand and it felt like both times we were sort of rudderless,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Just not playing with a purpose. Maybe when we get out on the road, we have a little more focus.”

Yes, he said it. It was meant not as a knock on Oracle, but a concern about the Warriors.

For it seems they no longer can count on the home building to provide a jolt when they can’t manufacture it for themselves.

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