Around the start of the new year, the road-weary Warriors were
looking forward to their most opportunistic stretch of the season.
They said a 22-game stretch that featured 18 home games was where
they would make up ground. Well, that stretch is over. How much
ground did they make up? Two games in their record and zero games
in the standings.
OAKLAND
Around the start of the new year, the road-weary Warriors were looking forward to their most opportunistic stretch of the season. They said a 22-game stretch that featured 18 home games was where they would make up ground.
Well, that stretch is over. How much ground did they make up? Two games in their record and zero games in the standings.
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Perhaps even worse than the missed opportunity of the home-heavy stretch was how it ended. The last six quarters at Oracle Arena, Golden State was outscored 150-112, and that includes the garbage-time fourth quarter they won in Friday’s blowout loss to Atlanta.
After Friday’s debacle, Golden State was five games in back of the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. Now, the Warriors must make up ground away from home. They start a seven-game road trip Sunday at Minnesota.
“We need to just get a win and start feeling good about ourselves,” point guard Stephen Curry said. “We have to dig deep on this road trip. Seven games to stay in this race, we still have a huge hole to get out of after these last two games.”
Some of the Warriors’ past 22 games might come back to haunt them, namely home losses to Charlotte and Phoenix—both teams with losing records when Golden State played them. Because the Warriors didn’t maximize the 22-game stretch, they have little room for error, if any, the rest of the way. Golden State plays 16 of its final 25 games on the road.
Most of the season, the road has not been kind to the Warriors, who are 7-18 away from Oracle. But their last road experience, a clutch win at Utah before the All-Star break, boosted their confidence away from home. And, fortunately for the Warriors, they get a slate of beatable teams.
They play four of the worst teams in the NBA on this trip. Minnesota, Washington, Cleveland and New Jersey (which did add All-Star point guard Deron Williams before the trade deadline) were a combined 120 games under .500 through Friday.
Indiana, like the Warriors, is five games under .500, and Philadelphia has won seven of its past 10 to get back to even. Boston is the only team currently with a winning record the Warriors will face on this trip.
“We knew that this road trip was going to be huge for us either way,” forward David Lee said. “When we return home, we will have a much better idea where we stand. But we just need to regroup and get on the road.”
Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob said he still wants to finish at .500 and is holding out hope for a postseason berth. Golden State needs to win 15 of its last 25 games to reach .500 and at least a few more than that to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.
Because the Warriors missed the grand opportunity during that 22-game stretch, they now must win on the road. Starting now.
— Story by Marcus Thompson II, Contra Costa Times
