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The Golden State Warriors held on for a key 117-113 road win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, furthering their play-in chances.
After falling behind by 13 points in the first quarter, Golden State stormed back, leading by as many as 13 late in the fourth. The game appeared out of reach for San Antonio. However, the Spurs went on a late 15-4 run to cut the Warriors' lead to 113-111 with 59.4 seconds remaining.
That set the stage for star shooting guard Klay Thompson's dagger 3-pointer with 38.7 seconds left, which secured Golden State's four-point victory.
The Warriors were led by superstar point guard Steph Curry, who finished with a game-high 33 points, eight assists and seven 3-pointers on 52.2% shooting. Meanwhile, star forward Draymond Green racked up 21 points, six rebounds, 11 assists and six steals on 88.9% shooting.
Additionally, Golden State overcame a standout performance from Spurs rookie big man Victor Wembanyama. The 20-year-old tallied 32 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals, three blocks and three 3s on 45.5% shooting.
The Warriors' victory marked their fourth straight amid their quest to maintain the Western Conference's final play-in spot. However, they still have little margin for error.
On that note, here’s a brief snapshot of where Golden State stands in the West playoff picture with eight games remaining.
Golden State Warriors Playoff Picture: Standings
Following Sunday's win over San Antonio, the Warriors (40-34) remain 10th in the West. They trail the ninth-placed LA Lakers (42-33) by 1.5 games and the seventh and eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings (43-31) and Phoenix Suns (43-31) by 3.0 games.
Meanwhile, they are 5.0 games behind the sixth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans (45-29). So, their best bet will likely be finishing in one of the West's four play-in spots.
On the other hand, Golden State only has a 2.0-game advantage over the 11th-placed Rockets (38-36). So, it is still in real danger of missing the play-in.
Golden State Warriors Playoff Picture: Schedule
As for their rest-of-season outlook, the Warriors have the NBA’s 15th-toughest remaining strength of schedule, with an average opponent winning percentage of .491.
Five of Golden State's final eight games come against above-.500 teams, including a pivotal April 4 road matchup against Houston. A victory over the Rockets would go a long way toward the Warriors' hopes of securing a top-10 finish.
Golden State Warriors Playoff Picture: X-factor
The Warriors have ratcheted up their defensive intensity during their four-game winning streak.
Before Sunday, they held three straight opponents to under 100 points. Meanwhile, the Spurs only had 99 points with less than four minutes remaining prior to their late-game run on Sunday.
Over its last four games, Golden State ranks fourth in defensive rating (103.9), a substantial improvement from its 16th-ranked season-long defensive rating (115.0).
If the Warriors continue locking down defensively to close the season, they should be able to fend off the Rockets.
