NBA standings: how far can the Warriors rise within the playoff image?

Welcome to February Day by day Subjects at Golden State of Thoughts. A query (virtually) day by day this month to present the neighborhood a immediate to speak about!

The Golden State Warriors entered the NBA All-Star break with a file of 29-26, which is nice for eighth place within the Western Convention standings. And the superior stats agree with that evaluation: the Warriors’ garbage-time adjusted internet ranking of +1.9 is seventh within the convention.

That, after all, doesn’t inform the entire story. The seven groups forward of Golden State — and many of the groups behind them — return from the break with their high items intact. The identical can’t be stated for the Dubs. Jimmy Butler III is not going to swimsuit up for the Warriors once more this season, and the workforce is simply 6-11 when he doesn’t play, in comparison with 23-15 when he does.

On the brighter aspect, Steph Curry is predicted to return from damage when the Warriors get again in motion on Thursday night time towards the Boston Celtics, and the workforce is hoping to debut Kristaps Porziņģis as effectively. However, in returning to the glass-half-empty aspect, Curry has been coping with a number of lingering illnesses this yr, whereas Porziņģis has handled accidents yearly of his profession — counting this season, he’s averaged simply 47.1 video games performed over his 11 seasons within the NBA (which incorporates lacking a complete yr as a result of damage).

The Warriors will spend the remainder of the yr jockeying for place, although they appear unlikely to maneuver a lot within the standings. It’s virtually assured that they gained’t fall out of the playoff race: at the moment they stand a whopping eight video games forward of the primary workforce out, and that workforce (the Memphis Grizzlies) simply hit the reset and rebuild buttons on the deadline. They might fall down a spot or two to one of many lesser play-in positions — they’re simply 2.5 video games forward of each the Portland Path Blazers and LA Clippers.

Transferring up appears much less seemingly, nevertheless it’s attainable, too, if the Dubs get scorching or one of many groups forward of them craters for one motive or one other. The primary play-in workforce, the Phoenix Suns, is three video games forward of Golden State. The ultimate groups within the assured playoff spots, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers, are 4.5 video games forward of the Dubs.

So how excessive can the Warriors rise, and the way far can they fall? For me, the reply is boring: I feel they’re caught within the play-in event. I might see them rising one spot to have the highest seed within the tourney, or falling to the final spot.

What vary of outcomes do you see for the Warriors?