The Golden State Warriors are in a battle for a playoff spot as the regular season winds down. The defending NBA champions currently hold the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot, barely ahead of the surging Oklahoma City Thunder and a bevy of other teams.
Stephen Curry has missed several games due to injuries this season, and he’s played chiefly without his team at full strength. The absence of proven stars Andre Iguodala, Gary Payton II, and Andrew Wiggins throughout the year have affected the veteran unit seeking a return to the NBA Finals. At 38-36, the Warriors are at the crossroads of being a team preparing for the postseason and trying to hang on.
The Warriors All-Star addressed his team’s status heading down the stretch during a conversation with reporters after Tuesday’s practice.
“It’s inspiring and depressing all at the same time; you still feel like you’re in it, which we are. You still feel like we can peak at the right time.” Curry said. “There’s a lot of confidence in that. But it’s also you don’t want to be in a situation with everything that we’ve accomplished and the idea of who we are that we’re checking the standings for the last 20 games to see if we’re in or out of the play-in tournament vibe. It’s weird in that sense.”
Steph describes where the Warriors are in the standings as "inspiring and depressing" 😅 pic.twitter.com/kxJFpt9NN3
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 21, 2023
