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Warriors play-in watch: What do Golden State need to make it to the top-10 in the West?

Warriors’ season-end calendar and what are their prospects of getting the top ten position in the West and entering the NBA play-in tournament.

Svetozar Pavlović
Svetozar Pavlovićceletozasveta
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates a made basket during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center on March 28, 2023 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Loren Elliott/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Loren Elliott / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
LOREN ELLIOTTAFP

Stephen Curry helped the Golden State Warriors to claim a crucial home win against the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring 39 points in last night’s game. This Golden State’s 120-109 victory moved them above the Minnesota Timberwolves into the Western Conference’s sixth and final playoff spot.

Curry launched eight three-pointers as the Warriors battled back from 20 points down to win in San Francisco.

Although the Warriors are currently in position for the sixth seed in the West, improving their playoff positioning and participating in the play-in tournament are all genuine possibilities, with six teams now having just one or two more losses than the Dubs.

Golden State Warriors remaining schedule

  • Friday, March 31: vs. Spurs (14th in West; 19-55)
  • Sunday, April 2: at Nuggets (1st in West; 49-24)
  • Tuesday, April 4: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (10th in West; 36-38)
  • Friday, April 7: at Sacramento Kings (3rd in West; 44-29)
  • Sunday, April 9: at Portland Trail Blazers (13th in West; 32-41)

Direct contenders in the West

On the West, Denver and Memphis are the only teams with everything secured for the playoffs, but they also have yet-to-be-decided opponents.

The Los Angeles Clippers are the fifth-seeded team with a 40-36 score and will almost certainly face The Phoenix Suns, the 4th seeded team of the Western Conference, with a 40-35 score.

NBA:

Then things get complicated for the Warriors. Although, with their recent win over the Pelicans, they put themselves in the 6th-seeded spot, there is a multiple-way scenario until the end for a tiebreaker occurrence, which can dictate the outcome of the playoff and the play-in seeding. So practically, the Warriors have a tiebreaker situation with Timberwolves, and the Wolves currently lead via conference win percentage. Tiebreaker versus Dallas would mean that the Warriors clinched. Next in line is versus Thunder, where the Warriors lead 2-1 with one game still to play. Then versus the Lakers: Lakers would clinch their spot in that situation. Against the Pelicans, the Warriors would lead via conference win percentage. And lastly, against Utah: Golden State clinches.

The playoff picture could end up being a complicated tiebreaker epilog with the head-to-head series tied 2-2 and the conference records practically duplicated.

FiveThirtyEight has the Golden State Warriors with a 92% chance of making the playoffs and a 4% chance of winning the NBA Finals.