The Golden State Warriors are officially down to their final stretch of the season. After beating the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night, the Warriors are now 35-38, with just nine games left on the schedule.
Golden State has already clinched an 83rd game this season. Five teams are eliminated in the Western Conference, meaning the Warriors will make the play-in tournament. It’s just a matter of what team — or teams — they play. The play-in field isn’t completely set, but it’s been the same four teams for
a long time now, and that will almost surely still be the case when the regular season ends.
Let’s take a look:
10. Golden State Warriors
Record: 35-38
Games remaining: 9
Home games remaining: 6
Games left against eliminated teams: 3
The Dubs have a home-heavy final stretch of the season, but they face the LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets. They’re 1.5 games behind the Portland Trail Blazers, and a pair of games behind the Clippers. They’re not locked into the final seed, but it sure is close.
9. Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 37-37
Games remaining: 8
Home games remaining: 5
Games left against eliminated teams: 4
The Blazers have won five of their last six games, and as they try to stay ahead of the Warriors, they find themselves with a fairly favorable schedule ahead of them. They’re more interested in catching up to the Clippers, whom they play twice more, and less concerned with falling behind the Warriors. Critically, the Blazers also have the tiebreaker over the Warriors.
8. LA Clippers
Record: 37-36
Games remaining: 9
Home games remaining: 5
Games left against eliminated teams: 4
The Clippers are in a good spot, but it’s a critical stretch for them. They have nine games remaining, with two against the Blazers and one against the Warriors … including visiting Portland in their penultimate game, and hosting Golden State in their season finale. The Clippers have won two of three against the Warriors, so beating them would ensure they earn the tiebreaker.
7. Suns
Record: 40-33
Games remaining: 9
Home games remaining: 3
Games left against eliminated teams: 4
The Suns are in good shape. They’re a full three games ahead of the Clippers, so it’s unlikely that anyone catches them in the play-in standings. It certainly won’t be the Warriors.
If these standings hold, then the Warriors would kick off the play-in tournament by visiting the Blazers. If they lose that game, their season is over. If they win, then they would travel south to face the loser of the game between the Suns and Clippers. And if they win that, then they would be the eighth seed, which would likely book them a one-way ticket to ass-kicking town, thanks to a terrifying date with the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs.
It ain’t pretty, folks.
