With the All-Star break just around the corner, the Golden State Warriors are grinding through the final stretch before some much-needed rest. They just wrapped up a quick two-game road trip without Steph Curry, splitting the set with a gritty win over the Suns and a hard-fought loss to the Lakers. And while the scoreboard didn’t swing their way in L.A., the Warriors are heading into their final two pre-break games with their heads up and eyes forward.
Steve Kerr: “We’re Battling”
After Saturday’s loss to the Lakers, head coach Steve Kerr didn’t sugarcoat things - but he also didn’t sound discouraged. The message? This team is competing.
“We battled. Both games, we fought hard,” Kerr said postgame.
“Obviously, we made a lot of shots against Phoenix, which was the difference. We just couldn't get shots to go down today.”
The Warriors actually won the turnover battle and grabbed their share of offensive boards - two key effort stats that usually swing games in their favor. But the shots just weren’t falling against L.A., and in the NBA, sometimes that’s the difference between a win and a loss.
Still, Kerr was quick to emphasize the positives: “I love the effort and the energy and the fight, and we’ll keep plugging away.”
That’s been the Warriors’ theme this season - resilience. With Curry sidelined and Kristaps Porzingis also out, Golden State isn’t at full strength. But they’re staying competitive, leaning on defensive grit, ball movement, and the occasional scoring explosion to stay afloat in a crowded Western Conference.
Two More Before the Break
The Warriors will host the Grizzlies and Spurs before the All-Star festivities hit full swing. And for Kerr, the message is clear: finish strong.
“The break will be coming at a good time,” he said. “But we’ve got two games, and we’ve got to lock in and go get that Memphis game on Monday.”
There’s optimism that Curry and Porzingis could return shortly after the break, which would be a huge lift. But until then, it’s about staying the course, keeping the energy high, and banking a couple more wins before recharging.
“If we can get healthy and start to generate a little better offensive rhythm, we’re in a pretty good spot,” Kerr added.
Playoff Picture: Warriors Holding the Line
Right now, Golden State sits in the 8th spot in the West at 28-25. They’re three games behind the 7th-seed Suns, four back of the Timberwolves in 6th, and six games behind the 3rd-seed Nuggets. With around 30 games left on the schedule, the gap is real - but not impossible to close.
The good news? The Warriors have put real distance between themselves and the bottom of the conference. They’re three games ahead of both the Trail Blazers and Clippers, and with the Clippers having just moved James Harden and Ivica Zubac - two of their top three players - their push for the postseason has taken a significant hit.
Then there’s Memphis, next in line behind the Clippers, who just dealt Jaren Jackson Jr. That clears the path even more for Golden State to secure a top-8 finish, even if they don’t manage to climb much higher.
Of course, being in the 7 or 8 spot means the play-in tournament is part of the equation. That’s always a bit of a wild card - one bad shooting night and your season hangs in the balance. But it’s also an opportunity, and for a team that’s been through the fire together, it’s a challenge they won’t shy away from.
If they can get healthy, find their offensive groove, and keep defending the way they have lately, the Warriors could be a real problem for someone in the first round. For now, though, it’s about finishing strong, getting to the break, and coming out of it ready to make a run.