The Week that Was:
It was a week with peaks and valleys even though those were not always reflected in the wins column. A strong and largely comfortable win was followed by a largely disappointing loss to LeBron and the Cavs. Fortunately, the Warriors rebounded with one of their best halves of the season in a dominating win over the Raptors but they followed that up with a terrible first quarter in the Garden that they still pulled out.
Add in a frustrating but understandable loss (after all, it was a back to back to end a road trip) against the Nets and you have a respectable 3-2 record despite some rough stretches. More importantly, they hold a four-game lead in the loss column with twenty-four games to go. While not set in stone, the #1 seed in the West is looking more and more likely.
The Soapbox: The Priority
My original idea for this space was to give you some things to keep an eye out for during Warriors games the rest of the way but their steady march towards the #1 seed and the understanding that we should all have a pretty good idea of their core lineup makes that a topic for another time. Instead, I would like to give diehards a homework assignment for the month of March: If you want to be ready for the playoffs, know the rest of the West. This guide puts the teams in order of potential playoff relevance to Golden State fans (most to least) and includes a summary of where they stand and some potential games to watch to see for yourselves. I tried to focus on games that are nationally televised to cast a wider net.
Oklahoma City:
They top the list because they are the most likely 8th seed at present. If healthy (a bigger and bigger if each day), the Thunder could be the toughest out for the Warriors in the West. While additions like Dion Waiters, Enes Kanter and DJ Augustin may not be perfect for them, adding depth to their stars makes OKC a more dangerous playoff squad.
Games to watch: vs. Atlanta (3/20 on League Pass) and @ San Antonio (3/25 on ESPN)
Memphis:
At this point, it looks like Memphis/Golden State could only happen in the Conference Finals but they have been the two best teams this season. I am not the biggest fan of Jeff Green but he has been a huge upgrade over Tayshaun Prince and makes more sense with Tony Allen and Courtney Lee. That said, what makes Memphis so tough is that they have a strength on the interior that would be hard for the Warriors to negate and an underrated PG in Mike Conley that can do some of what Chris Paul pulled off last season.
Games to watch: vs. Golden State (3/27) and @ San Antonio (3/29 on League Pass)
San Antonio:
The defending champs have a peak which any team would have trouble matching. However, we have seen their best play so sparingly this season that I am becoming less confident that they can bring it in April. What concerns me here is that one of those few brightest spots came when they completely outclassed the Warriors at Oracle early in the season. They also have the best coach in the business and a collection of personnel very well tailored to stopping Golden State in a playoff series, so we will have to see.
Games to watch: vs. Cleveland (3/12 on TNT), @ Atlanta (3/22 on League Pass), vs. Golden State (4/5 on NBA TV)
Portland:
The Blazers are in an interesting spot because they can reasonably end up anywhere in the 3-6 range but I am not sure who they would most want to face there. Regardless of their first round, Portland would have trouble with the Warriors because they succeed in somewhat similar ways but are not quite as good as the Dubs. Even with that understanding, Lillard and Aldridge in a seven game series would sure be explosive.
Games to watch: @ Miami (3/18 on League Pass), vs. Golden State (3/24) and vs. LA Clippers (4/1 on NBA TV)
Houston:
Many fans discount the Rockets because of how thoroughly the Warriors have dominated them recently but remember that at full strength they boast two of the biggest game-changers in the entire league in Harden and Howard.
Games to watch: @ Portland (3/11 on ESPN) and vs. San Antonio (4/10 on NBA TV- they play on 4/8 too)
Dallas:
Assuming the Thunder get the 8th and final spot, I see the Mavericks as the weakest team in the playoffs. That said, Dirk and company have plenty of talent and while Rajon Rondo cannot hit deep jumpers he always turns it up for the playoffs. Plus, you know Monta Ellis would be amped for the possibility of a big series against his former team.
Games to watch: @ Golden State (3/6 on ESPN- also play 4/4) and @ San Antonio (3/27 on League Pass- also play 3/24)
LA Clippers:
I still do not know what to make of the Clippers. They have looked incredibly shaky at points and continue to struggle with depth and their fifth starter (Small Forward) but despite all that they have a strong point differential and plenty of strong wins. The Warriors should clearly prefer to play them over most of the bottom half of the West but we know the downsides.
Games to watch: @ Portland (4/1 on NBA TV) and vs. Golden State (3/31 on TNT)
New Orleans:
The Pelicans may have the best player in the world but their overall lack of quality behind Anthony Davis likely puts them out of the playoffs and makes them a quickly dispatched opponent if they get in with the 8 seed.
Games to watch: @ LA Clippers (3/22 on League Pass) and vs. Golden State (4/7)
Phoenix:
At the beginning of the season, the Suns looked like a possible roadblock for the Warriors because of their unusual composition and Goran Dragic’s amazing ability to create offense. While Phoenix could look better next season, their trade deadline moves made them less likely to make the postseason and more beatable if they get in.
Games to watch: vs. Atlanta (3/13 on League Pass) and vs. OKC (3/29, even if that is mostly for Bledsoe vs. Westbrook)
The Week to Come:
After a brutal stretch in terms of travel, that part of it gets substantially easier. The Warriors play home games against the Bucks, Mavericks and Clippers before traveling all the way to Phoenix to play the now-weakened Suns.
While the Warriors should be favored in all four games, I will predict a more than respectable 3-1 week.