Before the All-Star Game, the Warriors lost 5-4, and Stephen Curry said harshly, "It's time to tighten the strings and start sprinting." In the first game after the All-Star break, the Warriors, who stepped on the throttle, beat the Blazers 132-95 and came out of the slump.
The Warriors are currently 6.5 wins behind the Top Suns in the West, and the hope of catching up with the Suns is not too big, even if the opponent is less Chris Paul. The Warriors have little hope of surpassing the Suns and returning to the top of the Western Conference, but it does not mean that the Warriors can relax in the sprint stage. Instead, the Warriors don't dare to relax a bit, as the Warriors are currently only 2.5 wins ahead of the Grizzlies, who are no. 3 in the West.
Considering that the Warriors are 6th in the league in terms of remaining schedule difficulty, and the Grizzlies are only ranked 28th in terms of remaining schedule difficulty, once the Warriors relax, the Grizzlies have every opportunity to use the schedule advantage to squeeze the Warriors into 3rd place in the West.
This season may be the Warriors' best chance to return to the Finals, and they must go all out to take advantage of this opportunity. Reaching the Finals and impacting the championship is a matter of time and place, and the current situation is very favorable to the Warriors.
Until now, the Warriors have never played in a full lineup. In the first half of the season, Klay Thompson and James Wiseman could not play, Andre Iguodala was plagued by injuries and missed many games, and Otto Porter also took a break from time to time. When Thompson returned, Draymond Green fell again, and Wiseman's repeated comebacks were postponed due to a knee injury. The Warriors have been at the top of the Western Conference table since the beginning of the season and are now 6.5 wins behind the Suns, mostly because of the uneven lineup.
But fortunately, Thompson has made a comeback and is getting better and better. Green and Wiseman's recovery from injuries is proceeding in an orderly manner, and the two are expected to return in March. Iguodala's injury is not a big problem, and the Warriors are largely helping Iguodala build up the physical strength to cope with the playoffs. When Green and Wiseman return, the Warriors' previous interior guarding problems and rebounding problems can be solved, and Iguodala can improve the defense and organization of the Warriors' flanks.
By March, the full version of the Warriors will most likely be "online", in addition to the five core players of the Warriors Dynasty that year (Trident + Iguodala + Looney), the Warriors also took advantage of the uneven lineup to train rookie Cuminga, Jordan Poole has been able to stand alone. Coupled with the fact that Porter and Gary Payton Jr., two high-probability teams that will enter the rotation in the playoffs, the Warriors' strength and depth are unfathomable.
As the Warriors' roster draws nears full, their competitors have their own troubles, and this season's Western Conference is chaotic, and the Warriors have the hope of reigning in chaos.
Injuries have caused huge problems for the Western Conference, and Paul, the core of the Suns Organization, will be absent for a long time due to a hand injury, and it is possible to reimburse for the regular season, and may even miss the games in the early playoffs. Paul was injured as a shooter, and it is unknown how he will be when he returns.
Dillon Brooks, the Grizzlies' main scorer on the perimeter, is still recovering from injuries and will not be able to return until March as early as his left ankle injury. Jazz duo Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have each been affected by injuries, With Gobert just returning but limited playing time and Mitchell having just suffered an upper respiratory illness.
The Lone Ranger is missing Tim Hardaway Jr., who is expected to be reimbursed for the season due to surgery on his left foot. The Nuggets have spent most of the season in Jokic's single-handed lead, with Jamal Murray and Michael Potter likely to return, but I'm afraid they'll have to wait until late March or even April.
As for the Los Angeles duo, the Clippers are missing paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell, and it is still unknown whether George and Leonard will return this season. Anthony Davis on the Lakers' side will be absent for a long time, and there will be little left when he returns to the regular season. Avery Bradley and Kendrick Nunn are also in injury suspension due to injury.
No matter how you look at it, this season is the Warriors' best chance to return to the Finals and even win the championship. Because the eastern pattern is equally chaotic, the powers also have their own problems. In the strong team, the current state and the best prospect are the Warriors.
The Warriors must seize this opportunity, because combined with recent rumors, the Warriors' roster next season can still be so strong that it is a big question mark.
Poole is facing an early contract extension, and if the two sides can't talk about it this summer, the Warriors are not unlikely to send Poole away. Looney is in a contract year, and with his performance, Looney may leave once a team offers a contract with an annual salary of more than $7 million. Iguodala is 38 years old and could retire after the season. Players like Porter and Payton Jr., who receive a base salary but are super cost-effective, are likely to receive generous offers from other teams, and considering the Warriors' heavy luxury tax pressure, they are likely not to stay.
Can the Warriors' roster strength next season be so strong? Can their chemistry be so good? Can management once again use multiple base salaries to poach ready-to-play players? Can tridents stay healthy and healthy after they are a year older? These are unknowns. So, the Warriors have to grasp the moment.
"I don't want to hear anything about coming back next year, for us, there is no next year, we want to do it now."
This is a quote that Doug Rivers said to the whole team after Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce formed the Big Three in 2007, and this sentence also applies to the Warriors.
Many times, you think you still have a chance in the future, but the reality is that when you miss an opportunity, you may never have another opportunity.