The Golden State Warriors have been able to completely turn around their season in about a month since the NBA trade deadline and then the All-Star break.
Not even the biggest supporters of DubNation could have imagined the immediate impact of the acquisition of Jimmy Butler. The defensive rating has skyrocketed, and Stephen Curry is back to his old self despite turning 37-years-old in a week. Not only would an appearance in the Play-In Tournament be a disappointment at this point, but Golden State could have their eyes set on an even higher seed.
Should the Warriors want to climb higher than the Rockets?
The Warriors are currently three games behind the fifth-seed Houston Rockets. Depending on the site or metric you choose to use, Golden State has a slightly favorable schedule while also holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over Houston after three victories out of four earlier in the season.
Golden State can't get complacent as the sixth-seed is certainly far from locked up. Minnesota is right on their tail and has one of the easiest schedules remaining, having moved to 35-29 following Wednesday's win over the Charlotte Hornets.
But as they sprint to the finish line of the long and grueling 82-game season, the Warriors might find themselves in a conundrum regarding seeding. Finishing as the fifth-seed could be a dream scenario, ensuring they avoid a first-round matchup with Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets who have a strong recent record against Golden State in recent times, or the surging Los Angeles Lakers with their new superstar duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
A matchup with a young Rockets or the Memphis Grizzles in the first-round seems more favorable. However, be careful what you wish for. Getting a top-five seed sounds excellent, but if you were to advance, the Oklahoma City Thunder would likely be waiting for you in the second-round. OKC has been the best team in the NBA this season; they have unlimited depth and lots of height, and possess arguably the current frontrunner for MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Finish sixth and you wouldn't have to worry about the Thunder until the Conference Finals...were Golden State to make it that far.
Nonetheless, the fact that the Warriors are even in this position is astonishing. A team that was dead in the water and limping into the trade deadline was on the verge of completely missing the Play-In, let alone the playoffs.
Finish the season strong and healthy, and let the chips fall where they may. One thing is sure -- many Western Conference teams do not want to see this Warriors team in a seven-game series.