Golden State Warriors are currently sitting at the 5th spot in the Western Conference.
With seven more games to go in the regular season, the Golden State Warriors are on the finishing line of the NBA playoffs. Stephen Curry’s injury had shaken their hopes as they dropped two straight games without their All-Star guard. However, he returned and showed his class with the season’s second 50-point performance. The Warriors are sitting in 5th place in the Western Conference and stay strong in the race for direct qualification in the playoffs.
Since their master trade of Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, Golden State have transformed their journey in the regular season. The Dubs went 19-3 after the trade and climbed to 5th in the West. Curry’s comeback after injury is a huge positive for the Warriors in pursuit of the playoffs. If they continue their top show in the remaining seven-game sprint, they can avoid featuring in a play-in tournament for the second straight year.
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As we mentioned earlier, Stephen Curry is a vital figure in the Warriors’ campaign for the NBA playoffs. Golden State relies on Curry, who is averaging 24.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game in the regular season. His absence leaves a hole in the Warriors’ offense and we witnessed it in the team’s previous two defeats before a winning streak of three games.
Let’s take a look at the Warriors’ chances of making it into the playoffs this year.
The top seed in the Western Conference is already clinched by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The actual battle starts for the remaining spots. The recent run of the Lakers and the Nuggets opened the race as they are not showing consistency. The Rockets and the Nuggets are pushing hard for the finish in top-3. The Lakers slipped to fourth but two games ahead of the Warriors.
The final spot in the direct qualification becomes interesting. The Grizzlies, the Clippers and the Timberwolves are the threat for the Warriors. At least two out of these three teams will feature in the play-in tournament. Golden State own tiebreaker over Memphis and Minnesota. This advantage gives them a certain edge on the playoffs qualification.
The Warriors currently take 5th place in the West and are projected to fall to the 6th seed. They have an 85.1 % chance to crack the playoffs according to Basketball Reference. Golden State have a 28.6% chance to finish the season as the 7th seed, and 19% chance to finish as the 8th seed. Steve Kerr’s side has a 20.4% chance to retain their sixth spot in the West.
| Playoff Seed | Percentage |
| 3 | 1.5 |
| 4 | 4.6 |
| 5 | 11.5 |
| 6 | 20.4 |
| 7 | 28.1 |
| 8 | 19.0 |
Source: Basketball Reference
The Warriors have gone 7-4 without Stephen Curry this season but struggled in the offense. They have the worst offensive rating (105.2) in the league without Steph Curry. Players like Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green have to step up for the Dubs.
There is a high possibility that Golden State would finish as the sixth or the seventh seed, provided that they do not drop a whole lot of games. If the Warriors land the 6th seed, as the standings currently are, they will play the Denver Nuggets, who are the third seed in the west currently. It won’t be an easy matchup as Jokic returned from injury and is already in top form. If they get the fifth seed, we can see the Lakers-Warriors matchup again in the playoffs.
If they finish as the 7th seed, considering their victory in the play-in tournament, they will play the Houston Rockets. It will be a favorable matchup for the Dubs as Houston have no prior experience in the playoffs with their current roster. Lastly, if the Warriors get the 8th seed in the west, they will take on the OKC Thunder and it could be an early elimination for Steph Curry and Co.
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