SUMMARY
- The Golden State Warriors have officially entered the Play-In Tournament.
- They will have to play two games to go up against the top seed in the Western Conference during the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs
It is no secret that the Golden State Warriors have had one of their worst run this season considering how dominant they’re capable of being. Ever since winning the NBA Championship in 2022, the Warriors have been trying everything in their power to run it back with their Big 3. However, the league gets increasingly competitive in almost every passing game. And the Warriors have become increasingly predictable as well.
During the start of the season, there were concerns over Klay Thompson’s form. He was shooting some of the worst numbers of his career until recently. But the issues were also surrounding Draymond Green, who missed multiple games due to his erratic behavior on the floor. Additionally, Steph Curry was the only consistent player who didn’t get much help from his teammates. And this cannot go on much as Curry is also much older and prone to freak injuries. The Warriors can’t afford to exert him ahead of the playoffs.
Klay Thompson has hope that the Warriors can make it to the 2024 NBA Finals
The Warriors have won eight of their last ten games while going against a few good teams like the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and Orlando Magic. Just over a week ago, the Warriors were in danger of losing their Play-In Tournament berth to the Houston Rockets. But they fought through to keep their playoff dreams alive while defeating the Rockets along the way. They have clinched a Play-In berth and will face the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.
1⃣1⃣’s numbers since March 1:
19.3 PPG
46.7 FG%
41.0 3P%@Xfinity 10G Network || Game Changers pic.twitter.com/4kwGk5l93x— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 10, 2024
Thompson claims that the Warriors have taken inspiration from Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat’s run last season. He said, “We take a lot of motivation from the Heat last year who had to play two play-in games and made it all the way to the Finals. I think we’re capable of a run like that. We obviously can’t look ahead, but whatever happens, we will be ready. We know that it can be done. There is no task too tall for us.” The Warriors do have the potential to run through the Play-Ins while Curry also performs exceptionally well in clutch situations.
The Warriors could possibly be a threat despite their underwhelming record
The Warriors have indeed upset the masses while only being able to secure the 10th seed in the Western Conference this season. But when it comes to teams in the West, all of them have been extremely competitive and dominant. The top five seeds in the West have all won over 50 games while seeds 6 to 10 are only 1-1.5 games behind each other.
Stephen Curry is the favorite to win Clutch Player of the Year, per @BovadaOfficial
Stephen Curry (GSW) -175
DeMar DeRozan (CHI) +120
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) +2500
Nikola Jokic (DEN) +12500
De’Aaron Fox (SAC) +15000
Damian Lillard (MIL) +8000
Dejounte Murray (ATL) +20000… pic.twitter.com/YsUpADW4eA— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 10, 2024
Keep in mind, that the second seed in the Eastern Conference is owned by the Milwaukee Bucks at the moment. The Bucks have only achieved a 49-31 record with two games left in the season. The Warriors are 44-35, which means they could be dangling anywhere between the eighth and fifth seed by the end of the season if they competed in the East. Having said that, the Warriors are a strong team based on their recent performances, Draymond Green’s emergence on offense, and Thompson’s boost in stats.