The Golden State Warriors have been trending in the wrong direction pretty much ever since Jimmy Butler went down with a season-ending injury. They have now dropped to the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference which may be a death knell for the season.
While it would be almost impossible for the Warriors to drop out of the Play-In, it's very different if you make it as the No. 7 or No. 8 seed versus the No. 9 or No. 10. If a team is the seventh or eighth seed, it only needs to win one game to secure a playoff series, and losing the first game still gives them another chance by playing the winner of the other game. The ninth and tenth seeds would have to win two games to qualify for the playoffs, meaning there's no cushion at all.
Warriors are doomed after dropping in Western Conference standings
At this point, it's tough to see the Warriors being able to win two games in a row given how gassed they look and how banged up they are. They are missing so many key players and even the guys they have gotten back are still not fully healthy.
The Los Angeles Clippers are now ahead of the Warriors in the Play-In. LA has an easier schedule than the Dubs coming down the stretch, making it incredibly tough for the Warriors to keep pace with the Clippers, let alone gain ground on them.
Obviously, the biggest X-factor is whether Stephen Curry can return for Golden State at some point. He has been out since late January with a knee ailment and there is still no clear timetable for his return. The Warriors obviously want to be cautious as there is no need to rush him back prematurely, but maybe if he returned in the regular season that could give the team some semblance of a chance to be the No. 8 seed.
The Warriors are going to keep fighting no matter what though. Head coach Steve Kerr would not allow his team to tank even if this season feels rather hopeless. Even if that results in a quick exit from the Play-In, the Warriors are not just going to lay down and take their fate easily.
This team will fight, and while this season has been a huge disappointment for the Warriors, at least they are going to go down swinging.