Golden State Warriors: The last five games and the Western Conference landscape

Nearing the end of the NBA regular season, almost every game is holding extraordinary weight in the battle for playoff positioning. That’s particularly true for the Golden State Warriors as the Western Conference continues to go down to the wire.

The Warriors, coming off a big comeback win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, were done a favour by the Phoenix Suns as they found a way past the in-form Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. It means the defending champions (40-37) retain a hold on sixth spot in the West, with the Timberwolves (39-38) now one game behind. The Philadelphia 76ers also put a major dent in the Dallas Mavericks’ (37-40) play-in chances as they continue to spiral down the standings.

The Golden State Warriors will look to stave off their Western Conference rivals in order to avoid the dreaded Play-In Tournament.

Finishing sixth appears to be the golden ticket in the West right now. Not only does that team avoid the play-in, but they’d likely see the Sacramento Kings in the first-round. Conversely, pushing up to fifth would see a brutal matchup against the Phoenix Suns or Los Angeles Clippers. That’s nothing against the impressive Kings, but for the Warriors, a first-round with minimal travel, and against an inexperienced team, would be ideal.

The Schedule

Golden State begin the final stretch with the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center on Friday, a game that should present as a comfortable victory. They then face the Nuggets in Denver on Sunday, an intriguing matchup given Mike Malone’s men have all but sealed top spot in the West. Could they do the Warriors a favor by resting some key players, including back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic? Maybe, but the Nuggets superstar is also hunting a third-straight MVP amid a battle with Joel Embiid.

The Warriors then return to Chase Center to host the Oklahoma City Thunder next Tuesday in a game that could have massive implications. Currently 38-39, the young Thunder are still fighting for a play-in position. That’s followed by an intriguing matchup with the Kings, with Mike Brown’s team clinching third-spot in the West. Would they go all-out against Golden State in a potential playoff preview, or would they hold back slightly so not to give too much away?

The Warriors then finish with the Trail Blazers in Portland, a game that now feels a lot safer given they’ve shut down Damian Lillard and their practically their whole season. Ideally, Golden State’s hold on a top six spot wouldn’t come down to the final game, potentially allowing them to rest stars themselves.

Rivals Schedule

Timberwolves – Lakers, Portland, @ Nets, @ Spurs, Pelicans

Lakers – @ Timberwolves, @ Rockets, @ Jazz, @ Clippers, Suns, Jazz

Pelicans – @ Denver, Clippers, Kings, Grizzlies, Knicks, @ Timberwolves

Friday’s matchup between the Timberwolves and Lakers is huge, but either way the Warriors will get one up on one of those opponents. Minnesota still appear the biggest danger, with they, like Golden State, facing Portland and San Antonio in the final five games. That final game between the Timberwolves and Pelicans should be competitive for both teams, even if the Warriors have secured sixth by that point.

The Lakers are dangerous given they’ve won four of their last five and have also regained LeBron James from injury. Four-straight road games will determine their chances, although the Rockets and Jazz are favorable matchups. Both Los Angeles and New Orleans have six games remaining, with the latter clearly facing the hardest schedule and therefore appearing the least likely to surge up to sixth.

It’s been a disappointing season for the defending champions, but they still hold prime position to finish above the play-in mix. At the very least, their fate remains in their own hands, while those below are praying for a Warrior downfall.