SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) is congratulated on his 3-point shot by Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) throughout their sport in opposition to the New York Knicks within the third quarter on the Chase Middle in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
LOS ANGELES — Steve Kerr checks the standings each morning, so he is aware of: the Warriors’ odds for the No. 1 seed are solely rising slimmer with each Phoenix win, which appears to be a every day incidence. Coming into Monday night time, Golden State trailed the Suns by 4.5 video games with 25 left to play.
Or, as Kerr conceded this week, “That’s numerous video games (to make up).”
“It’s very unrealistic to suppose we’ll make up no matter it's,” he mentioned. “However we additionally know this league is loopy.”
At stake is homecourt benefit in a attainable Western Convention Finals showdown and a first-round matchup in opposition to the lowest-seeded winner of the play-in spherical. Whereas preserving tabs on the standings could also be a matter of behavior, the place the Warriors stand within the precise playoff image isn’t a matter of debate among the many crew — proper now, not less than — Kerr mentioned.
“We don’t discuss it in any respect. There’s no purpose to proper now,” Kerr mentioned. “Perhaps it’s one thing we discuss down the stretch.”
Earlier than the stretch run heats up, we’ll beat Kerr to the punch in inspecting the Warriors’ playoff image and their outlook in opposition to the highest 4 contenders within the West (all information coming into Monday).
PHOENIX SUNS
Document: 46-10
Final 10: 9-1
Video games remaining: 26
Opponents win share: .480 (sixth best)
How scorching have the Suns been just lately? Give it some thought like this: the Warriors, who've been enjoying fairly good basketball themselves, have received eight of their previous 10 video games, but haven’t made up any floor. In truth, over that span, the Suns have padded their lead by one other 1.5 video games. Phoenix had a quiet commerce deadline, much like Golden State, and can roll with the identical solid that received them to the NBA Finals final season. The Suns face one of many best slates of video games down the stretch and can achieve this with no severe accidents to notice. At its present tempo, Phoenix will be anticipated to win not less than 21 of its closing 26 video games, a end that might require the Warriors to win each considered one of their closing 25 video games simply to tie for the highest seed.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Document: 42-15 (4.5 video games again)
Final 10: 8-2
Video games remaining: 25
Opponents’ win share: .509 (eleventh hardest)
The Warriors have quietly slid nearer within the standings to third-place Memphis than first-place Phoenix, however they continue to be on tempo to complete the season with 60 wins. In the event that they do — needing 18 wins of their closing 25 video games — with out overtaking the Suns, they might grow to be solely the third crew previously decade to achieve that benchmark with out incomes the No. 1 seed (Golden State dealt the identical destiny to San Antonio in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017). They seem to have mounted a skid that featured six losses in 9 video games by reeling off 9 wins in a row, however questions marks stay coming into the ultimate stretch: When will Draymond Inexperienced return? Will James Wiseman make an affect? Does Golden State have sufficient measurement if not? In 5 journeys to the playoffs underneath Steve Kerr, the Warriors have by no means been something lower than a No. 2 seed. They are going to doubtless want Phoenix to falter with the intention to declare the highest spot within the West this 12 months, however there's a path to a championship minus that miracle. The No. 1 seed has emerged to signify the West within the Finals six time previously 10 years, however meaning a crew beneath the highest seed has reached the finals in almost half the Finals of the previous decade.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Document: 40-18 (7.0 video games again)
Final 10: 8-2
Video games remaining: 24
Opponents’ win share: .465 (third best)
The Grizzlies have given the Warriors a few of their hardest video games this season and stay on their tail. As proven on the court docket — the one crew to beat Golden State twice this season — if the Warriors get complacent, the younger and hungry Grizzlies will make them pay. It’s no completely different within the standings. Memphis has a legit MVP candidate in Ja Morant and the simplest remaining schedule of anybody within the West. So, when you’re apprehensive about combating over first place with the Suns, perhaps spare just a little concern in regards to the Grizzlies.
UTAH JAZZ
Document: 35-21 (11.0 video games again)
Final 10: 5-5
Video games remaining: 26
Opponents’ win share: .503 (14th hardest)
Probably the most lively on the commerce deadline of any of the highest 4 groups within the West, maybe there’s a purpose: the convention’s playoff image — not less than its high seeds — is usually set in stone. Phoenix, Golden State and Memphis all like their rosters, and the groups behind them can’t do a lot to catch them. Odds are, not like the Jap Convention, the place the highest six groups are separated by as many video games as there are between the Suns and Warriors, the common season will finish with the highest half of the standings precisely how they're now.