Kurtenbach
That doesn't mean they will.
If reading this column feels like déjà vu, it's fitting. The Warriors can't shake off that .500 feeling, no matter what they do. The .500 energy goes deeper than a record. The Warriors score 118 points per game. They allow 118 points per game. They're 22-7 at home and 7-22 on the road. They're 5-5 in their last 10 games,
It's good enough to keep the Warriors within punching distance, but at some point, they need to punch.
And because they have waited for so long to engage in the actual fight, they'll need to pack a wallop once — if — they start throwing.
The Warriors entered the All-Star break as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference. That's only good for a spot in the play-in tournament, which, technically, isn't the playoffs. No one is making the NBA Finals from there.
They're within 3.5 games of the No. 3 seed. That's good.
The issue is that they would need to hop six teams to reach that spot. Yes, if the Warriors play well, they can move up the standings, but they would need the teams above them to lose, too.
Some will, but not all. I don't expect the Suns or Clippers to fade. The Mavericks and Timberwolves might have made the necessary upgrades at the deadline, too. There are no easy pickings.
The Warriors are also only a game above the No. 11 seed, which wouldn't even make the play-in tournament.
We will see what happens.
Truly, everything remains on the table for the Warriors. But at some point, the evidence of this season is more prescient than the team's illustrious recent history (which does feature a losing and mediocre season).
That point is fast approaching. It might be here before Curry's return to the lineup.