The All-Star break no longer splits the NBA season in half so much as it gives teams a breather for the stretch run. The Warriors, no doubt, were in need of it. For a team with the second-best record in the NBA, though, Golden State enters the final portion of the regular season in a precarious position. They have a 1.5-game lead on the No. 2 playoff seed, 23 games to play and must navigate the foreseeable future without one of their most important players.
In the words of coach Steve Kerr, who will arrive in Portland for practice Wednesday fresh off some time off in San Diego. "We're right there. Those last 20 games are when you feel like the stretch run is happening."
So, before it starts, let's take a look at the big, looming question facing the Warriors — and a couple auxiliary ones — over their final stretch of games.
