While the Warriors were wobbling towards the finish line of the season, the Houston Rockets were soaring. So what had started out to be Golden State's challenge to get into a guaranteed playoff position has become a fight to live as even a play-in team.
Even with new lineups and no real duds on the team, the Warriors continued to struggle to stay with the game long enough to win it, and especially to win at home. Losses to Indiana, New York and Minnesota were with nearly a fully healthy roster, and then injuries started to mount up. Back on the road they eventually roughed up a depleted Miami Heat team, and the next day faced the Orlando Magic, with Jonathan Kuminga hurt and a banged-up Jackson-Davis on the court. As if that wasn't handicap enough, Draymond got himself two tech and an ejection in the first quarter, and Steph Curry almost lost it. The despair brought him to the verge of tears.
But the Warriors responded. They protected an early lead until once again they lost it late, but this time responded with just enough to win a low scoring game by 9. Klay Thompson was again outstanding as a starter, playing heavy minutes two days in a row. Andrew Wiggins stepped up with the aggressiveness usually supplied by JK, and bench players picked up on the competitive energy. (Although for the second game in a row Chris Paul seemed less than sure-handed.)
But Houston also won, beating the better OKC team in overtime. The night before, the Lakers without Le Bron won in overtime.
It's not just the Warriors who are beat up--practically every team is--so all bets are off for any given game. On paper, Houston has a tougher schedule to finish but they have momentum, and the Warriors seem to have fewer games with a clear advantage. They've got two with Dallas, one with the Lakers, New Orleans and now a potentially crucial one with Houston. They can afford to take lightly exactly nobody.
Unless Houston goes on as impressive a losing streak as their current winning streak, and/or the Warriors practically win out, Golden State's status as even a play-in team let alone a play-off team could be in doubt until the end of the Utah game on April 14, the end of the regular season.
