The Golden State Warriors have two more games remaining in the regular season. It starts Friday night at home against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Golden State is playing for positioning in the NBA Play-In Tournament. It has already clinched a spot in that regard and can’t get to the sixth seed in order to avoid next week’s tournament.
This doesn’t mean that Steve Kerr’s squad is simply playing out the string in the regular season. They currently find themselves in a three-way tie with the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth spot. California dreaming, baby!
This eighth spot is vital in that it would give a team two chances to earn a spot in the playoffs and a likely first-round matchup with the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets. What a reward that would be, right?
There is no way a team that has won four of the past 10 NBA titles can be considered underrated heading into the play-in tournament. That just doesn’t seem to make too much sense. But in the case of the Warriors, that’s exactly what we’re seeing right now.
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Golden State Warriors were all but written off back in late January
Several weeks after Draymond Green was suspended indefinitely for yet another ugly antic on the court, Golden State fell to the Los Angeles Lakers by the score of 145-144 in double overtime. This Jan. 27 home loss dropped the Dubs to 19-24 on the season. It also came with them holding a 15-point lead midway through the third quarter.
Articles were written about a fading dynasty. That didn’t really make much sense in the first place since the dynastic Warriors are a thing of the past.
Some wrote about breaking up the big three of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. This was magnified due to Thompson’s impending free agency. Two weeks later, and the future Hall of Famer was relegated to bench duties. Frustration was the name of the game for the team. Golden State had no idea what it would be getting in Green due to his antics earlier in the season. Everything was falling apart.
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Something changed for Golden State Warriors following Lakers loss
Whether the veterans in the locker room stepped up to be more vocal or something else, the Warriors started to click after that ugly home loss to LeBron James and Co.
Golden State boasts a 26-11 record in its past 37 games. That’s the second-best mark in the NBA during this span behind the mighty Boston Celtics.
The Dubs have defeated contenders such as the Philadelphia 76ers (twice), Los Angeles Lakers (three times), Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks during this 37-game run.
The only major hiccup here is what garnered national headlines. Back on March 3 against the Celtics on the road, Golden State was blown out by the score of 140-88. It was an absolutely embarrassing performance on national television, adding to the narrative that these Warriors are cooked. They have won 14-of-20 since.
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Jonathan Kuminga and the young guns
Kuminga has garnered most of the attention. He was a high-profile draft pick back in 2021. Expectations have been high throughout his career. But the wing found himself in and out of Kerr’s rotation earlier in his third NBA season.
Things have changed since. Outside of the basic stats, Golden State is relying more on Kuminga on the offensive end of the court. We’re seeing him used in isolation a whole lot. The youngster has several moves to create on his own and can’t be stopped in transition. He’s also a willing passer out of the double team, which is huge for a team that still has elite-level three-point shooting.
- Jonathan Kuminga stats (past 37 games): 19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 55% shooting, 38% 3-point
It’s not just Kuminga who has stepped up among the Warriors’ young core. Rookies Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis are playing more vital roles as of late.
The No. 13 overall pick out of Santa Clara, Podziemski has started 18 games since the aforementioned run began. He’s averaging 9.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 38% shooting from distance during that span. The guard also leads the NBA in charges taken as a rookie.
As for Jackson-Davis, the 57th pick this past June took Kevon Looney’s spot in the Warriors’ rotation back in February. Providing Golden State with rebounding ability and an inside presence, he’s been brilliant as of late. The Indiana product is averaging 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks over the past 22 games. That’s come in less than 24 minutes of action per.
A lot was made of the Warriors’ attempt to go with two different timelines. That is to say, having the big three do their thing with the youngsters. It’s now looking like everything is coming together.
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Don’t sleep on the Golden State Warriors
Golden State’s run over the past half of the NBA season has not gained much national attention. Perhaps, it shouldn’t.
What we do knw is that Golden State has three players in that of Curry, Thompson and Green who have been here at nearly every stop over the past decade. All three are rounding into form as the NBA Play-In Tournament gets going.
In particular, Thompson and Green are looking like younger versions of themselves.
- Klay Thompson stats (past 13 games): 21.1 PPG, 41% 3-point
- Draymond Green stats (past 13 games): 8.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.6 SPG
We know Curry will do his thing when it counts. But if these two continue to play at this level, the Dubs are going to be a difficult out. Add in those youngsters and the veteran presence of Chris Paul off the bench, and there’s no reason to sleep on these Golden State Warriors heading into the postseason.