Despite impressive home wins against Milwaukee and Phoenix, things looked really glum when the Golden State Warriors began their recent road trip by managing to lose to the Clippers despite Steph Curry's 50 points. Curry scored another 31 in their next game, a loss in Atlanta, and Coach Steve Kerr praised their effort, and said he was basically happy with the way the Warriors were playing. After their next game, a loss in Memphis, he said they'd played hard and well again, despite the loss. Something good is coming for this team, he said, and soon.
They had two more road games. They beat Houston, among the least consistent teams in the league, and Curry scored 30, but Kerr said ironically he liked their effort better in the games they lost. Then they went to Dallas when both teams were jockeying for the sixth seed and the chance to play in the playoffs. They won there, more decisively than the final score indicated. Then they came home, faced one of the hottest team in the NBA with this year's likely MVP who scored 46 points--but with a fourth quarter barrage and their defensive effort throughout the game perhaps finally wearing out Joel Embid, they won.
Good things came. Keep them coming.
At this point the Warriors have a game and a half security in 6th place, and are only a half game out of fourth. Dallas has faded but the Lakers are coming on, and those Warriors losses in LA could still loom large. But it is definitely looking better for the Warriors getting into the playoffs, and it's starting to look like they are getting ready.
Next they have three games at home against Minnesota, New Orleans and San Antonio, which should be three wins, unless they lose concentration against weaker opponents as they've been prone to do. Their last home opponent is OKC, a team that is still battling for playoff position. They have three road games, none of them really easy, against Denver, Sacramento and Portland. Assuming they can keep their 6th seed or improve it, they'll be tuning up against playoff teams Denver and Sacramento.
With Gary Payton II coming back soon, the combination of Poole and Vincenzo may help to make up for the missing Andrew Wiggins. The sports commentators this past week have been agreeing with each other that the Warriors can't get far in the playoffs without Wiggins, since he was their second best player in last year's. They aren't considering however that Klay Thompson, usually their second best player, has worked his way back this year. While the team with the healthiest stars certainly has the advantage, most teams right now have at least one star ailing.
The Warrior veterans know the score: that in the West this year, it's anybody's championship. They are probably eyeing the Grizzlies as their most difficult foe, but might have to figure how to beat Anthony Davis and the Lakers. Then there are at least three very strong teams in the East, any of which might emerge. But that's months away. Right now every game means something.
