Fresh off a loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr got brutally honest on his team’s likely path to the postseason. After admitting his team’s lack of preparedness against Boston, Kerr conceded that a finish above the top eight is out of reach.
“We’ve had our eyes on six for a while, and that’s out of the question now,” said Kerr, via Anthony Slater. “We’re not getting there; we’re going to be in the play-in. If we can string together some wins and try to get to eight, that’d be ideal, to get two cracks at it. But we’re not getting to 7, we know that. We just have to build habits for when we get guys healthy again.”
The Warriors have been having a rough season. Since Jimmy Butler went down in January, the team has struggled to maintain its status as a Western contender. Now, in the aftermath of their latest defeat, the Warriors are down to 33-36, nine spots back from that guaranteed playoff spot. While the situation looks bleak, Kerr believes a run is still possible if the players stay ready for Stephen Curry’s return.
“We have to be prepared for when we get guys back,” said Kerr. “If we’re prepared for when they get back, we can do some damage, and we can go on a run. But we can’t gameplan mistakes; we have to build better habits, like boxing out and taking care of the ball in transition. Our guys are playing hard, and I’m really proud of them. Shots didn’t go tonight, but what I’m most interested in is the process, and I thought it was lacking in some areas tonight. We have to tighten some things up.”
The situation might be different for the Warriors if Steph had stayed healthy. But after suffering a case of “runner’s knee,” the two-time MVP remains in recovery, with no set timetable for his return. In fact, there are rumors that the Warriors could shut him down entirely since they have virtually nothing left to play for anyway. In 39 games, the four-time champion is averaging 27.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 46.8% shooting from the field and 39.1% shooting from three.
Even if Steph does get back and starts playing elite basketball again, the Warriors would be fighting against overwhelming odds. At 10th in the West, they would have to win two play-in games against competitive teams just for a first-round matchup against the Thunder.
On multiple fronts, this season is already a wash for Golden State. The best they can hope for is a miracle scenario, where they land eight and squeak into the playoffs. For that outcome, they’ll need more than just Steph’s good health.
As Kerr indicated, a turnaround from here will require total focus and dedication to improvement. Things like boxing out and taking care of the ball may sound trivial, but they are the keys to salvaging this Warriors season. With a tough remaining schedule (that includes games against the Pistons and Nuggets), the margin for error is undeniably slim, but Kerr will not give up while there’s still a chance. With a healthy Steph, the Warriors can get anywhere in the playoffs; they just have to make the cut to get in.
