Injury concerns dog Warriors ahead of playoffs
The Golden State Warriors have been in a holding pattern for seven months. Since the start of training camp, the Warriors – winners of two of the past three NBA titles, including a 16-1 romp through the post-season a year ago – have been the overwhelming favourites to win a third in four years this season.
The only problem? They had to endure the combined seven months of pre-season and regular season basketball that precedes the playoffs to do so. The result was the most indifferent 58-win season in the history of the sport that, combined with a series of injuries, including to star guard Stephen Curry, has cast some doubt as to whether the Warriors are the favourites to repeat anymore.
That’s why the start of the playoffs arrives here today against the San Antonio Spurs with a sense of relief among the Warriors.
‘‘It’s been a long haul, for sure,’’ coach Steve Kerr said.
‘‘I was hoping we’d be heading into the playoffs healthy. Obviously everybody wants that. But because we weren’t able to, the last few weeks have been made more difficult.’’
Just how good a shape the Warriors are in has become a prominent subject of debate over the past few weeks. Remarkably, after the Cleveland Cavaliers led the league in dysfunction all season, it is Golden State – and not Cleveland – who feel like the more likely upset victim of the two teams to prevent a fourth straight showdown in June’s finals.
Part of that is because of the presence of the Houston Rockets, who led the NBA with 65 wins and have the presumptive league MVP this year in James Harden. But part of it, too, is because of the way Golden State are limping into the playoffs.
The Warriors have gone just 7-10 over their final 17 games – more losses than they had in their entire record-setting regular season two years ago.
Much of that is due to injuries. Golden State’s plan all season was to get to the All-Star break healthy, ramp up over the final two months of the regular season and be feeling good heading into the playoffs.
The first part of that plan worked out relatively well – only for Golden State to suffer a litany of injuries over the past two months. Curry, who played in just 51 games this season because of a combination of ankle and knee injuries, will miss the first round with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, with his return likely to come early in the second round. The Warriors spent several games over the past month playing without all four of their stars – Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
As the post-season begins, though, there is more doubt about the Warriors and Cavaliers meeting at the end of it than at any point over the past four years. Whether that is just wishful thinking from those hoping for something new, or a new reality remains to be seen.
Another thing to watch as the playoffs begin: what will happen in Oklahoma City?
After trading for Paul George and Carmelo Anthony last off-season, the Oklahoma City Thunder were expected to be a championship contender. Instead, they’ve dealt with injuries – including losing arguably the league’s best defensive player, Andre Roberson, for the season with a knee injury – and inconsistent play.
As a result, their final record wasn’t much different than it was a year ago without George and Anthony. But Oklahoma City enter the playoffs as a team no one is enthused about facing, and with George’s free agency hanging over the franchise, how they fare in these playoffs will be something people around the NBA will be monitoring.