Warriors daunting run only makes back-to-back blown leads all the more unbearable

For the second time in as many games, the Golden State Warriors squandered a significant second-half lead to fall to the depleted Brooklyn Nets 128-120 at Chase Center on Monday night.

The Warriors once led by 18 in the third-quarter, having come off the back of a 10-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs where they were also up 17 during the second-half. Head coach Steve Kerr said during the post-game that his team lacked energy, but they would want to find it quaickly ahead of a serious baptism of fire over the coming weeks.

A tough schedule is approaching for the Warriors

After losses to two teams few expect to be figuring in playoff action, Golden State will need to regroup before facing the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder at home on Wednesday night.

That starts an incredibly tough stretch for Golden State with 13 games remaining before the end of the calendar year. Those 13 games feature opponents that could all figure in playoff proceedings, with 11 of those coming against Western Conference rivals.

Wednesday's game against the Thunder will be followed by back-to-back road games in Phoenix and Denver. The Suns are about to get Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal back from injury, while the Nuggets are always going to be a force so long as 3x MVP Nikola Jokic is in the lineup.

The Warriors will then head home to face the currently 12-6 Houston Rockets, before back-to-back games against last year's Western Conference Finalists in the Minnesota Timberwolves. A rematch with the Grizzlies in Memphis is then on the cards, followed by a third meeting against the Timberwolves this time in Minnesota.

Golden State will then face the Eastern Conference Finalist Indiana Pacers, before meetings with both Los Angeles teams. 2024 will be rounded out by a second meeting with the Suns and a rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers who already blew the Warriors out earlier in the month.

It's an incredibly difficult stretch of games, making these back-to-back losses all the more unbearable. Golden State are still in a good spot second in the West with a 12-5 record, but they could have easily envisaged themselves as being at 14-3 just days ago.

The next 5-6 weeks will provide a significant litmus test to decide where the Warriors are at prior to the February 6 trade deadline. Are they a team in serious contention, or are these last two games an indication of a team that will still be fighting just to secure a playoff berth?