Jazz-Warriors could be most important game of the season for Golden State
The Golden State Warriors have now lost 4 straight and have dropped 7 of their last 8. That’s not how you want a championship-contending team to look like with the playoffs commencing later in the month.
While the Warriors should be getting two-time MVP Stephen Curry back in time for the playoffs, that’s still relatively unknown as it is expected he’ll be back but no guarantee can be made. Curry was initially injured with a sprained foot in a home loss to the Celtics.
The Golden State Warriors will head to Utah to take on the Jazz Friday night, and it could be their most important game of the season.
For the sake of the Warriors’ place in the standings and then also who they’ll want to play in the first round, defeating the Jazz on Saturday night will be of utmost importance. Golden State will travel to Utah with the Jazz coming off a win over the Lakers.
They’ll be playing their second game in 3 days which could give the Warriors a much-needed edge as they haven’t played since the middle of the week. The Warriors are coming off a highly competitive battle with the Suns on Thursday in which they lost 107-103, so they can compete at a high level without Curry.
Golden State was able to get 38 from third-year shooting guard Jordan Poole. He’ll be a huge difference-maker if the Warriors are to beat the Jazz as Utah’s Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson are both set to play.
Utah is among the most versatile teams in the league, ranking No. 1 in offensive rating and No. 13 in defensive rating. Currently tied for 5th place with the Nuggets, the Jazz would fall to 6th with a loss and the Warriors would more than likely stay in the 4th.
Golden State should prefer Denver in the first round as the Nuggets are still down their second- and third-best scoring options and would pose an easier matchup given Utah’s major size advantage.
For the Warriors to hang onto their position and force the Jazz lower down the standings, they’ll want to come out on top.
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If they don’t, the Jazz will be within a game of jumping Golden State in the Western Conference, and given how good Golden State has been at home, it’ll be important to at least get home-court advantage through one round.