The Golden State Warriors drew closer to securing a playoff berth at Moda Center on Friday night, having left Portland with a 103-86 victory over the short-handed Trail Blazers.
With Stephen Curry battling through a thumb issue and having shot less than 40% from the floor as a team, it was hardly a dominant offensive performance from the Warriors who were led by Jimmy Butler's 24 points.
At this point it doesn't really matter how you win, so long as you do given the jam-packed nature of the Western Conference standings. Yet in saying that, Golden State are going to need to play a lot better to clinch a playoff spot with victory over the L.A. Clippers on Sunday back home at Chase Center.
Steve Kerr has questioned the Warriors form ahead of the postseason
It's only a week since the Warriors recorded two of their best wins of the season in a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, but their form since has been a little less inspiring in the four games since.
Golden State were held to 96 points in a dominant defensive display from the Houston Rockets last Sunday, and while they responded against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at Footprint Center, it's hard to take too much from that given how bad the home team were.
Golden State could have already secured a top six spot had they won on Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs, only to suffer a shock loss against a team without their two star players in Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox.
Despite a 17-point win on Friday night, Steve Kerr delivered a brutal assessment of his team in the post-game, suggesting they were in a better place a few weeks ago while bemoaning some elements of their offense.
Steve Kerr: “We have to pass the ball better. We have to get spaced better. We have to develop a rhythm. We were in a better place, I think, a few weeks ago.” pic.twitter.com/EFPfXGWinP
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 12, 2025
While the Warriors have gone 7-3 over the past 10 games, they've held just the 14th-ranked offense in the league during that period. They're otherwise seventh in offense since the All-Star break, having relied heavily on their defense against a Trail Blazers team playing without five or six of their core rotation.
Kerr's comments -- and more so Golden State's form -- should raise some concern ahead of Sunday's game against one of the most in-form teams in the league. The Clippers have won seven in a row and are 17-3 in their last 20 games, having held off the Kings for a 101-100 win in Sacramento on Friday.
Fortunately the Warriors will have as many as three home games to now clinch a playoff spot, but they'll be hoping they only need one with a win over the Clippers.