Steve Kerr is confident that his team can still make an impact in the playoffs, especially as they face a familiar opponent at the start of their postseason journey.
Klay Thompson led the charge with 25 points, including six 3-pointers, while Andrew Wiggins contributed 19 points as the Golden State Warriors secured a 123-116 victory against the Utah Jazz in their final regular-season game. This result secured the 10th position for the Warriors in the Western Conference.
“We have a strong bond within this team, good chemistry, and everyone supports each other. So, I’m optimistic about what lies ahead,” Kerr remarked.
“I believe we still have the potential to achieve something remarkable. Now, it’s like the NCAA Tournament, where we need to win the first two games to advance to the first round. But we have a chance, and that’s something to be excited about.”
With the Los Angeles Lakers winning against New Orleans and the Sacramento Kings defeating Portland, the Warriors are set to face the Kings in Sacramento on Tuesday as the 10th seed in the Play-In Tournament, with the Kings holding the ninth seed.
Last year, the Warriors had a thrilling playoff series against their Northern California rivals, eventually winning in a decisive Game 7, with Stephen Curry delivering a stellar performance by scoring 50 points.
“It’s going to be a game where we have to give it our all,” Wiggins emphasized. “It’s a do-or-die situation, with no room for mistakes.” The Warriors will hit the road on Monday and have a day to get ready to face Mike Brown’s team, where he was once a top assistant coach.
“It’s going to be an exciting atmosphere, we were there last year,” Kerr mentioned. “Their fans will be cheering them on.” Golden State had a chance to move up to eighth place if they won and both the Kings and Lakers lost.
Kerr decided to rest Draymond Green and Curry for this game. Curry has played 74 regular-season games and logged 2,421 total minutes, his most since the 2016-17 season. The Warriors have struggled this season when both Green and Curry are out, winning only one out of three games.
“He could have played. If it was necessary, he would have played,” Kerr commented about Curry. “But considering the situation we’re in, it didn’t make sense to risk putting him out there today.”
After losing at home to New Orleans on Friday night, only their second loss in 11 games, the Warriors had to adjust their starting lineup for the third game in a row.
Chris Paul took Curry’s place in the starting lineup and contributed six points, six assists, and four rebounds in over 22 minutes of play.
Keyonte George led the Jazz with 21 points. The Jazz ended their season with a record of 31 wins and 51 losses, with a dismal away record of 10 wins and 31 losses. They missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Utah managed to win two of their last three games after enduring a tough stretch with a 13-game losing streak and 16 losses in 17 games. “We have to reconsider everything,” mentioned second-year coach Will Hardy.
Jonathan Kuminga had his best game yet with seven assists as the Warriors marked their 36th game with 30 or more assists by delivering 35. They’ve dominated their last eight home games against Utah and won all four games this season against the Jazz.
Golden State guard Gary Payton II missed his third consecutive game due to tightness in his left calf, and it’s uncertain if he’ll play in the upcoming week.
Regardless of the lineup changes, Green straightforwardly stated the next objective: “We just need to go out there and win. When our team is facing tough situations,” he remarked, “I appreciate how this group steps up.”
