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The injury-hampered Golden State Warriors dropped to 34-31 after Wednesday’s 109-99 loss on the road to the Dallas Mavericks. Despite the defeat, the Dubs remain firmly entrenched in 10th place in the Western Conference. The 30-35 Houston Rockets are four games behind the Bay Area team for that coveted spot.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr recently told the media that he is convinced his team can make a strong push for the playoffs once Steph Curry is healthy again. Golden State is hoping he becomes active in time for Saturday's showdown versus the LA Lakers.
Curry, however, isn’t the only one that’s dealing with an injury. Draymond Green was inactive in the loss to the Mavericks due to lower back soreness. The former Defensive Player of the Year is day-to-day, but Kerr also said that the Golden State Warriors will not rush him.
Last season, it looked like the Dubs were headed for the play-in tournament before surging through the rankings late in the regular season. They eventually managed to nail the sixth spot and outright playoff berth. Kerr is hoping they can follow the same script.
The Golden State Warriors are trying to chase down the Phoenix Suns, who own a 38-27 win-loss mark. With 17 regular-season games left, that goal remains doable if they can get Draymond Green and Steph Curry back. The Bay Area team will also have to hope that the Suns falter while the rest of the chasing pack also struggle.
Given how the Sacramento Kings (37-27) and the Dallas Mavericks (38-28) have been playing, they’re more likely to catch up with Phoenix instead of Golden State. The Dubs are looking like they will have to earn a postseason berth by winning twice in the play-in tournament.
The Golden State Warriors still have a tough schedule ahead
As the Golden State Warriors will find it tough to overtake the Phoenix Suns for the sixth spot, they will continue to play hard. They can’t afford to slip and allow the Houston Rockets to catch them napping.
With or without their injured stars, the Warriors will have to navigate through a schedule that still includes the LA Lakers and Dallas Mavericks twice. They will also have to battle teams from the East Coast that will be jockeying for playoff spots. The Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers are still on the dock.
The Golden State Warriors can't afford to overlook the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets. Utah can also play spoilers, as it will get two opportunities to ruin the Dubs’ playoff hopes.
More likely, Steve Kerr’s team will have enough to hold off their chasers, but they can only hope to overtake the teams ahead of them. A guaranteed playoff spot seems unlikely, so they will have to battle in the play-in tournament to punch a postseason ticket.
