Warriors Have No Room for Mistakes

The Golden State Warriors (69-9) have four games remaining in the regular season, starting tonight when they host the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors must win out the season to finish 73-9, which would break the 1995-96 Bulls’ victories record.

But has “73” started to torment the Warriors? Golden State has lost two of their last three games, both at home. The Warriors have committed an average of 22.5 turnovers over the last two defeats, and they’ve turned the ball over at least 20 times in four of their nine losses on the season.

Until the Boston Celtics defeated them at Oracle Arena last Friday, the Warriors had not lost a regular-season game at home since January 2015—a stretch that included 54 straight victories. Now with two losses in five days, the Warriors seem beatable and flawed.

But the “Dubs” are not only playing to beat the NBA record, they are competing for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and the No. 1 overall seed in the NBA. The Warriors will attempt to clinch the top seed in the West and home-court advantage in tonight’s matchup.

But San Antonio is not just any opponent. The Spurs are on pace for the best second-place finish in regular season history. At 65-12, the Spurs are almost locked in to the second seed in the Western Conference playoff race.

Golden State Head Coach Steve Kerr said his team is focused on one thing going in to tonight’s game, and that is to clinch the top seed. 

Tip off is set for 10:30 p.m. in Oakland.