Wiggins, Curry key to playoff push
The defending champions entered the All Star break statistically and spiritually mediocre.
The Warriors are 29-29, never going above or below .500 by more than three games throughout the first four months of the season. That's good for the ninth seed in an equally mediocre Western Conference. Continue at this pace and they'll be competing for a chance at the play-in game. This is not the kind of season the reigning championship team envisioned.
It's not all bad, though. They're a win streak and a conference foe's losing streak away from erasing a 2.5-game gap between a play-in seed and a fifth or fourth seed.
But they can't bet on other teams' failures to fuel their own success. Plus, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving's relocation to the Suns and Mavericks, respectively, make the chance of a higher seed even less likely.
The final 24 games of the regular season provide an opportunity to leap into the Western Conferences' upper echelon. But how? Here's a look at some keys to the regular season.
THE SCHEDULE AND STEPH CURRY'S RETURN >> Golden State only plays three Eastern Conference teams in their remaining 24 games, which means plenty of opportunity to gain ground and establish themselves against their Western Conference competitors.
They open up on the road Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers, who look much stronger now with Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and D'angelo Russell. Then the Warriors play five West teams at home, including flailing teams such as the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers, along with contenders such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans.
Curry is set to be re-evaluated for his left leg sprain after the All-star break, and we already know he won't play on Thursday against the Lakers. But the Warriors' success over these final games could be determined by his return. Muddying the Curry return is that his injury is rare in athletes; the two lower-leg ligaments he partially tore have no predictable healing timeline, according to the team.
But Curry is the star around which the Warriors system orbits. His return, sooner rather than later, would dramatically increase any chance of them skyrocketing up the standings.
WIGGINS AND THE DEFENSIVE CONSISTENCY >> Wiggins' breakout playoff performance last season translated seamlessly into his start of this regular season. But he largely disappeared upon his return from an adductor injury and illnesses that sidelined for a career-high 15 games -- plus a few more here and there as he dealt with more illnesses.
There's a distinct difference between pre- and post-injury Wiggins. He shot 45 percent from 3 with 5.2 rebounds per game in 22 games before his adductor injury and 29 percent from 3 with 4.9 rebounds per game in 15 games after his return.
Wiggins said he felt like he was finding his rhythm again after a 29-point, seven-rebound game against the Washington Wizards on Feb. 13.