Why Are the Warriors About to Embark on Their Toughest Week of the 25-26 Season
The Golden State Warriors have won three games in a row starting on March 23rd, and they’ll need to build on that winning streak to achieve their current goal of finishing eighth in the Western Conference. However, they face a difficult challenge throughout the next week. As the team looks to claw back above .500, their schedule will do them no favors in accomplishing that. For multiple reasons, the Warriors will begin a daunting four-game stretch that can turn sideways very, very quickly.
The main obstacle, undoubtedly, is their upcoming opponents. Beginning today, Sunday, March 29th, the Warriors have to face the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets, then on April 1st, the second-place San Antonio Spurs, a day later, the fourth-seeded in the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then on April 5th, the sixth-place Houston Rockets. Each of those teams is currently at least 15 games above an even win-loss record, a feat that Golden State has not scratched even once this year. To make matters worse, every squad except for Houston is entering the week in scorching-hot form. Golden State’s next three opponents have a combined record of 24-6 over their last 10 games, and with playoff standings far from clinched, no team will leave anything behind.
In the midst of the daunting road ahead, the Warriors do have an advantage somewhere. After their quick trip to Denver, coach Steve Kerr’s group will face the remaining opponents mentioned above at Chase Center. That fact matters for the Warriors specifically, who have been a different team at home and away from the Bay. With the support of their fans, Golden State has won 21 of 36 games. On the contrary, they have returned to San Francisco from their travels with a 15-23 record.
Although this stretch is a home stand, too many good things cannot happen to this team. Golden State has not had fortune on its side this year, particularly when it comes to the professional athletes’ health and the team’s risk of missing the playoffs because of their misfortune of injuries. Moses Moody’s gruesome knee injury has been the latest addition to a long list and will leave him sidelined for months to come. As if the bug affecting the starters wasn’t enough, even role players have gotten dinked up recently.
Al Horford will remain on the sideline for about another week, while Quinten Post and Seth Curry will carry an injury designation for at least a few more games. From the team’s 21 players who have suited up for the Warriors this season, just seven of them have seen the court in more than 60 games. Issues have piled up, and Golden State may have run out of options. This campaign’s ship looks like it's in a crash-course collision, and the worst may still be yet to come.
