SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors lost two “winnable” games, to use Steve Kerr’s words. As a consequence, they would now have to win two much tougher ones to escape the play-in.
Back-to-back losses to the Jazz and Bulls — 48 wins between them — dropped the Warriors a game below .500 and a half-game back ofthe surging LA Clippers, who don’t look poised to relinquish the No. 8 seed now that they have overtaken the B-Dubs with 17 games left.
What does the “B” stand for? Take your pick: Beaten-up? Beleaguered? B-team?
Either way, between the state of the Warriors’ roster and the results the past two nights, it doesn’t bode well for their chances of avoiding that dreaded 9–10 play-in game and the difficult path that accompanies it.
“It’s a big deal,” Kerr emphasized beforetheir 130–124 overtime loss to the Bullson Tuesday. “There’s a reason the league did that. Seven (or) eight, you get two cracks at it. Huge advantage. It’s definitely a focus of ours.”
The Warriors would have loved to avoid the play-in entirely. They have the second-oldest roster in the NBA — only younger than the Lakers — and are currently among its most-injured.
That was pretty much off the table when Steph Curry’s right knee flared up at the end of January.Kerr recently acknowledgedthey were “destined” for the play-in.
The Warriors emerged from the play-in last year and upset the Rockets in the first round. As the No. 7 seed, they only had to beat the Grizzlies at home to get their chance against the No. 2 team in the West.
It’s more complicated if they aren’t able to climb above ninth.
“I mean, it’s the difference between having to win one game versus having to win two games,” said Pat Spencer, who scored 17 off the bench in the loss to Chicago. “You’ve gotta be realistic: It’s much easier getting into that 7–8 game than 9–10.”
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
