Golden State Warriors vs. Charlotte Hornets
The Golden State Warriors have been struggling through the regular season.
They are 10th in the Western Conference and have had an uphill battle in recent weeks as Steph Curry and Co. fight to finish on a strong note.
Regardless, with Curry and Draymond Green now confirmed to be missing from the final regular-season clash against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night, it has led to some rightful concern among fans.
While a decent run over the last month (9-1) led to optimism that they could get hold of the eighth seed, things went awry after their recent loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Warriors’ 9-1 record included a loss to the in-form Dallas Mavericks, a team they also defeated during this run.
Although the Warriors had the likes of Jonathan Kuminga and Chris Paul already questionable for tonight’s game against the Jazz owing to minor injuries, fans have been dealt yet another blow.
Coach Steve Kerr confirmed that Golden State will be without both Draymond Green and Stephen Curry for the all-important Jazz clash.
This naturally led to an array of reactions from fans on X.
“Steve Kerr tripping ??” a fan posted.
They should win still, but damm 😂
— LowkeySportsizRight (@LowkeyRealm) April 14, 2024
Steve Kerr trippin ??
— Useni🎱 (@useni_16) April 14, 2024
@BlakeDazzle this is Darvin ham level of CTE
— Jay (@JaySiNN_) April 14, 2024
Some users talked about how the Warriors might simply be looking to avoid the Denver Nuggets, considering Nikola Jokic’s team is unlikely to finish first:
“Nah this is smart, they wanna avoid Denver. Nuggets aren’t going to be the 1 seed.”
Others used the opportunity to lament the Warriors’ luck:
“lmao we’re just lying down and accepting defeat lmao please let us lose in the play-in”
Another user said:
“Bro what 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣”
Another seemed to believe that Steve Kerr was making a huge error by resting two of his best players:
“They dont deserve to make it 🤦♂️
It seems most fans used the update to simply troll the Warriors and claim that the 10th seed is all the Dub Nation appears to be heading toward.
Warriors’ Stephen Curry will be well rested for the Play-In Tournament
From Klay Thompson’s suspension and benching to Draymond Green’s suspension, the Warriors lost their way despite showing flashes of their past self.
Stephen Curry’s efficiency has only taken a minor hit, but he has long appeared to be a one-man show this season.
In the backdrop were issues surrounding a shakedown in the backroom, including Jonathan Kuminga’s temporary problem with Steve Kerr, which revolved around unhappiness concerning his playing time.
Kuminga has emerged as a bit of a lone spark in a challenging season, which is now set to have a difficult end as well.
At the same time, the Warriors know that they are in a situation where they have found themselves in the past as well.
No one expects them to emerge as serious contenders in the postseason, let alone get past the Play-In Tournament.
However, fans and critics alike will also not be surprised if they do.
After all, it is the Warriors that we are talking about, and the extra rest for Curry and Draymond Green certainly has a potential silver lining.