The Golden State Warriors' rollercoaster season is officially in danger. After an overtime battle for the final spot in the top-six in the Western Conference, the Warriors came up short to the Los Angeles Clippers, falling 124-119 at home. The loss sends the Dubs to the dreaded Play-In Tournament, where they will host the Memphis Grizzlies in the 7-8 matchup.
It was a game in which the Warriors expended every ounce of energy and still came up short. The dynamic duo of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler was dynamite on the offensive end. Curry finished with 36 points, with 21 of those coming in the fourth and overtime. Butler, on the other hand, collected 30 points and 9 assists.
But it wasn't enough, and the game put serious mileage on the Dubs' aging stars. Butler played a game-high 48 minutes while Curry and Draymond Green notched 38 minutes each. Not to mention, Butler took a Kawhi Leonard knee to the thigh, which was bothering him postgame. After the game, reporters asked Green about the team's energy levelsheading into the Play-In Tournament.
“We'll be fine. Playoffs, you don't play any back-to-backs, so we just have to get there,” Green said. “We'll be alright. We're not senior citizens; we're high-level basketball players. If we have to play tomorrow, we'll be alright. You train all year for this. No disrespect to the senior citizens, by the way; we love our senior citizens. But we ain't there yet, so we'll be fine.”
Green and the Warriors had their opportunities to extend the game but came up short. Green himself missed a big layup to tie the game in overtime, which forced the Warriors to draw up a 3-point play with the game on the line. Buddy Hield got an attempt up but couldn't find the bottom of the net. Green addressed the Warriors end of game execution at his press conference.
“I completely smoked a layup. And Buddy missed a shot,” Green said. He was then asked if the Hield shot was the one the team wanted. “Yes. That was the play that was drawn up, we got the look, [Buddy] just missed it. GP made a good pass in the pocket [for me], and I smoked a layup.”
The Play-In against the Grizzlies
This will be the Warriors' third trip to the Play-In Tournament and their second meeting with the Grizzlies in this format. But since its inception, the Play-In has not been kind to Golden State. The Warriors are 0-3 in the Play-In and have never gotten to the playoffs through this tournament.
But the Dubs will have to exorcise their Play-In demons if they want a trip to the postseason. And that starts with how they match up with the Grizzlies. The Warriors are 3-1 against Memphis this season, which includes the game in which Curry went nuclear for 52 points and 12 3-pointers.
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Additionally, the Grizzlies will be without primary perimeter defender, rookie Jaylen Wells. Wells took a nasty fall against the Charlotte Hornets, suffering a concussion and broken wrist. That means Memphis will have to lean on Scottie Pippen Jr. and potentially Desmond Bane to slow down Curry.
However, Ja Morant has been on fire as of late. Morant has averaged 30.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.2 rebounds in 5 games in his last 5 games, with no signs of slowing down. He was the man who eliminated the Warriors back in 2021, in the very first winner-takes-all final Play-In game.
What lies beyond the Play-In
But if the Warriors can survive the Play-In tournament, they'll be positioned to play the Houston Rockets. The Rockets, led by Alperen Şengün and Jalen Green, are young and hungry. With ample athleticism, experienced coaching from Ime Udoka, and a significant home-court advantage, they would pose a big challenge to the experienced Warriors.
Still, that scenario relies on the Warriors getting by Memphis. Should Morant and the Grizzlies upset the Dubs, the Warriors would face a win-or-go-home game against the winner of the Sacramento Kings/Dallas Mavericks game. If they were to win that game on Friday, they'd have to fly to Oklahoma City to face a rested Thunder team no less than 48 hours earlier.
It goes without saying how dangerous the Thunder would be for the Dubs. Boasting 68 wins, an MVP candidate and the best defense in the league. They have zero weaknesses and are positioned to make a title run. The Warriors would have to play their best if they wanted to upset one of the best teams in the last five years.
But all of this depends on the Warriors getting out of the Play-In Tournament. With at least two games to save their season, Golden State is walking a thin wire.
