Everything needed to go right for the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. Although they won against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Sacramento Kings lost to the New Orleans Pelicans. This gave the Dubs a chance to move up the standings and move further up the table.
But Friday brought a different reality. He had three games in the play-in tournament that had a significant impact on the Warriors in the standings, but he was only able to make a difference in one of them.
All three games were decided on the final possession, making for a frustrating yet thrilling day of basketball watching. The Dubs themselves couldn't overcome turnover issues and the Pelicans' heavy shooting, losing 114-109. The Lakers, on the other hand, have a starting five of Scottie Pippen Jr., Jordan Goodwin, GG Jackson, Jake LaRabia, and Trey Jemison, and are trying hard not to lose to a lottery-bound Memphis Grizzlies team. Despite their efforts, they won 123-120. The Kings were the only team to recover from the day, but they again blew a big lead in the second half and lost to the Phoenix Suns, 108-107.
While the Lakers won, the loss dropped the Warriors to 10th place. However, with the Kings' loss, there is still a chance, albeit unlikely, that the Dubs will remain in the No. 8 spot.
Now let's look at all possible outcomes.
First, let's make a schedule. The NBA will have Saturday off, allowing all 30 teams to finish the season with a complete rest on Sunday. The Warriors will play at home against the Utah Jazz. The Kings will also host the Blazers at home. And the Lakers are scheduled to visit the Pelicans on the road. All three of these games will take place at 12:30pm PT.
The Warriors' only chance to move up in the standings is to win. If they lose to the Jazz, they will be in 10th place. However, if they win, they have a chance of promotion.
However, that will require cooperation from the Pelicans and Blazers. If both the Lakers and Kings lose and Golden State wins, the Warriors will pass both teams.
Here's what happens if the Warriors beat the Jazz. If the Lakers and Kings both lose, the Warriors will have him at No. 8, the Lakers will have him at No. 9, and the Kings will have him at No. 10. If the Lakers win and the Kings lose, the Lakers will be ranked 8th, the Warriors will be 9th, and the Kings will be 10th. If the Lakers lose and the Kings win, the Kings will be ranked 8th, the Warriors will be 9th, and the Lakers will be 10th. If everyone wins, the Lakers will be in 8th place, the Kings will be in 9th place, and the Warriors will be in 10th place.
This is a simpler version that removes the competition. I'm rooting for the Warriors to win and the Kings and Lakers to lose. If all three of these things happen to him, the Warriors will place him at No. 8. If the Warriors and either the Kings or Lakers lose, the Warriors will place him at No. 9. If none of these things happen, or just one of them happens, the Warriors will take him No. 10. .
There is reason to be optimistic, but I wouldn't bet on the Dubs to move up to No. 8. The Warriors will have a huge advantage at home against the Jazz. The Jazz are a 3-0 team this year…including wins Sunday without Stephen Curry. And the Lakers will be underdogs against the Pelicans. New Orleans is not only a good team; more Their fight for a full playoff berth, rather than a play-in tournament, is in jeopardy with Sunday's game at stake. On top of that, New Orleans was playing at home, and Anthony Davis and LeBron James, who were already out of shape, had to play a combined 84 minutes to beat Memphis on Friday night.
The Kings will need a little more luck to lose considering they are playing at home against a weakened Blazers team. But the Warriors have seen that Portland can compete, and in two games this year, the Blazers defeated the Kings once and sent the other to overtime. Sacramento is also looking a little off, losing five of their last six games (although they were certainly a good contender).
A win on Friday would have put the Warriors in the driver's seat, but that's the reality. They still have a chance to move up one or maybe two places on Sunday. It should be a fascinating day watching basketball.
