Not a whole lot is going right for the Golden State Warriors right now.
They did get some respite with an impressive 113-103 win over the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Saturday, led by 31 points from Stephen Curry and impressive performances from sophomores Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski.
That was just the Warriors are third win over the past 12 games though, seeing them slide to seventh in the Western Conference standings and just a game ahead of 11th. During that time Golden State have ranked 20th in defensive rating, 25th in offensive rating and 26th in overall net rating as the franchise claws to stay above water in the competitive West.
Kawhi Leonard injury update sums up Warriors recent fortune
The Warriors have been in the midst of an incredibly difficult schedule in December, with all eight games in the month having come against conference rivals that boast records of above .500.
The challenges keep coming for Golden State with Monday's game coming against an Indiana Pacers team who've won their last three games, followed by a Christmas Day battle with the Los Angeles Lakers who have also won their past three.
But if you wanted any greater indication of the recent misfortune, how about the fact that one of the league's best players could make his season debut against the Warriors after Christmas. According to Law Murray of The Athletic, Kawhi Leonard is on track to return when the L.A Clippers host Golden State on December 27.
The December 27 Warriors at LA game is looking more and more like the logical return date for Kawhi Leonard at this current trajectory of progress.
— Law Murray ⚛️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 18, 2024
Even without their best player, the Clippers have been a well-drilled team who've managed a 16-13 record despite no impact from Leonard and the offseason departure of 9x All-Star Paul George in free agency.
James Harden has excelled with the opportunity of being the lead man once again, putting up 22.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. Norman Powell has also delivered with increased responsibility, averaging a career-high 23.9 points per game on an insane 47.2% from 3-point range.
The Clippers have already beaten the Warriors twice this season, and will now present an even greater challenge if Leonard is back in the lineup. The 2x Finals MVP averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season, shooting 52.5% from the floor and 41.7% from beyond the arc.
Golden State won't be too concerned about Leonard and the Clippers right now, with the franchise simply having to take it one game at a time as they look to win back-to-back games for the first time in over a month when they host the Pacers on Monday.