With just six weeks remaining in the regular season, the Golden Warriors will be without Kevin Durant for an indefinite amount of time, and possibly into the postseason. Even if Durant is cleared after his re-evaluation in four weeks time, a lull while he is out could put the #1 seed in the Western Conference in jeopardy.
The Warriors currently lead the Spurs by four games, but play them twice in San Antonio over the next four weeks, both on the back end of back-to-back games. Warriors beat writer Anthony Slater joined Murph and Mac on Wednesday morning, and said that clinching the top spot in the West becomes much more important with Durant out, especially when it comes to avoiding a second-round matchup with the dangerous Houston Rockets.
“I think that (the Warriors) are a lot more motivated to keep the Spurs off that #1 seed,” Slater said. “That would allow them to avoid the Rockets in Round 2. I really don’t think they want to play Houston. That would be somewhere around mid-May, that would be eight weeks after this injury. I don’t think they want to test that series with Durant.
“The Spurs are only four games back right now, three in the loss column. They have the tiebreaker if they win just one of the next two games against the Warriors. Both of the next two games are in San Antonio, second night of a back-to-back for Golden State. If anything this Durant stuff has added a lot more intrigue to the rest of the regular season and the seeding. I don’t think they’re gonna push Durant back for the Spurs game, but I think that Spurs game is an important game.”
The Rockets currently have a stranglehold on the #3 seed, five and a half games ahead of the Utah Jazz. The Warriors have split the season series so far, losing to Houston in overtime on December 1. The #2 seed could also mean the Warriors would have to face the Thunder in the first round.
“I think it’s pretty big, although you never know with situations as far as injuries go,” Slater said. “The Clippers have looked good going into the playoffs the last couple years, then immediately bang-bang, (Chris) Paul is down with the wrist, Griffin is down with the knee, so you never know situation to situation.
“But look at it. Lets say you get the #2 seed. It’s not just the second round, it’s the first round — you might have to play the Thunder. Do the Warriors want to go to Oklahoma City without Durant into that hostile environment against (Russell) Westbrook instead of playing like the Nuggets or the Blazers….You stress yourself without Durant in that first round…and I think Houston’s a much tougher matchup with the way they shoot three’s, the way they spread you out.
“They’ve been a much better team than the Clippers this season. I know the Clippers have bigger names besides James Harden, but I think Houston is a better team. I think in this day and age with the math explosion in the NBA about 3s are better than 2s, you don’t want Houston in the second round and you don’t want to go to San Antonio. I think getting the #1 over the #2 is pretty big.”
Listen to the full interview below.