Developing Warriors still have their eyes on playoff push – NBA.com

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

Golden State is really at a crossroads in this 2020-2021 season, except that it recently rolled a little further in one way than the other. With his dismal 141-119 loss to Sacramento on Thursday night, he slipped below .500 (22-23) for the first time since Game 5 on the calendar.

After peaking a month ago at 19-15, well enough for fifth place in the Western Conference after a seven-game winning streak in 10 games, the Warriors have lost eight of their last 11. They woke up on Friday in 10 games.^e place, just two games ahead of the Kings who took them down the night before.

Star Stephen Curry remains one of the most powerful weapons in the NBA, averaging 29 points per game, leading the league in 3 points and, at 33, still elusive and explosive enough to take control of games by himself. The franchise’s winning “culture” – second in self-promotion perhaps only after Miami, but very real – is strong despite the absence of key contributors such as Kevin Durant (free agency in 2019) and Klay. Thompson (two injuries that zapped the season).

And even the Warriors’ home results, 13-8 to 9-15 on the road, suggested they could be a problem if they could lock in a best-of-seven series like, say, the seed. n ° 6 vs. a # 3 that could be flawed, hurtful, or overconfident. Open Chase Center to a significant number of Warriors fans, long among the most knowledgeable and vocal in the league, and the experience could validate this tough season for all.

Except that Curry has missed the last four games with an inflamed tailbone and is expected to miss at least two more. Golden State is 1-5 without him this season, including the current three-game slippage.

With each passing game, the Warriors seem to be caught in the switches. They have used the current season for future development, working in the depths of the pool with young players such as center James Wiseman, winger Jordan Poole and playmaker Nico Mannion. Yet the veteran voices and sheer competitiveness and top-down muscle memory of owner Joe Lacob, president of basketball operations Bob Myers, coach Steve Kerr and others still push them to land a spot in playoffs.

With fewer opportunities to do so. The Warriors rank ninth in defensive efficiency (109.6) but 22^nd on the offensive (108.8). Even the return of the living bodies to the stands of their magnificent arena has been delayed by the San Francisco warrants and lockdown limitations.

Two weeks ago, Thompson – stranded in rehab after surgery on his right Achilles tendon – said he had high expectations, not only after his return, but now.

“While our record doesn’t reflect how good I think we are, I think we’re still going to have a run here and finish with a solid record and push into the playoffs,” he said. .

His father Mychal, former champion and current Lakers broadcaster, had been equally optimistic shortly before. “If they step up and are more consistent with 3 and Draymond [Green] continues to make his Swiss [Army] knife work, doing anything for the team, the Warriors are going to be a threat, ”said senior Thompson. “They’re going to be scary in the playoffs.”

Green echoed this view as well a few weeks ago, believing that young men’s learning would keep pace with the team’s ability to win games. “The real mark of a young team, who don’t run in the home stretch … as we continue to spend more and more time together, it’s getting better,” said the Warriors defensive leader. . “I think this team is ready to organize a race.

“And I think if we get into the playoffs, not many people will want to see us in the first round.

A lot can happen in a matter of weeks. “Enter” from 10^e place via the Play-In mechanic is a much different reality, with a game or two on the road just to glimpse a best-of-seven opportunity.

It’s hard to imagine Golden State, having won three NBA championships and represented the West in five straight Finals from 2015 to 2019, feeling a great deal of satisfaction over a Play-In spot.

Then again, when a team tries to serve two masters – the present and the future – a compromise is usually inevitable.

“We try to win and develop our young players at the same time. It’s our job to figure out what that means day to day, ”Kerr told reporters on Wednesday. “The obvious solution is not always simple and clear.

“I know James Wiseman has to play. He needs to play more. That’s why we’re going to start it up and commit to playing it for as many minutes as possible during the [remaining] Games. We believe we can win in all of this.

J-Wise droppin ‘dimes 👀 pic.twitter.com/X16eeCjXzx

– Warriors of the Golden State (@warriors) March 24, 2021

Wiseman, an immensely talented but raw 7-footer, was Golden State’s pick with the No.2 pick in the November draft (yes, a spot ahead of rookie sensation Charlotte LaMelo Ball). His early performances showed both his potential and his inexperience, sometimes on consecutive trips on the ground. But there was time, patience, and a feeling that he and the Warriors would move along his learning curve fairly quickly.

A sprained wrist and later a layoff due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols have cost Wiseman 14 games since February 1. not screaming playoff contributor. In 31 appearances, he averaged 11.6 points and 6.0 rebounds in 21.3 minutes, with little impact on the results. The Warriors are 15-16 when he played, 7-7 when he didn’t.

Poole and Mannion show more progress on the new opportunities, although it is still early to see if their and Wiseman’s maturation as players will sync with Curry, Green and Thompson.

After Thursday’s resounding loss, which some of Golden State’s closest observers have called a low point this season, the head coach attempted to take a half-full view. “I still really believe,” Kerr said, “this team is going to make a downhill straight.”

This week began with a controversy over the Warriors, with Kerr asked about how difficult it was to end the title race in 2018-19 compared to the freedom to learn and lose a lot in 2019-20. By the time the coach and his team arrive in May, Kerr could have another tough one to fit into his rankings.

* * *

Steve Aschburner has been writing about the NBA since 1980. You can email him here, find his archives here and follow him on twitter.

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs, or Turner Broadcasting.