In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors are one game behind the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers as the 10th seed.
Head coach Steve Kerr has acknowledged that he may choose to rest some players when the team plays the Utah Jazz on Sunday because they have a difficult play-in tournament run ahead of them.
“Oh hell yeah,” Kerr said when asked if he’s considering resting players on Sunday. “You prefer to stay at home. But if you look at what we’re facing, it’s a gauntlet. You’ve got to play two play-in games, and if you can win those two, you’ve got to play a playoff game 48 hours after that. I’m much interested in our ability to be ready for next week.”
It is not a given that the Warriors will lose their matchup with Utah if players are rested. This season, Will Hardy’s team has shown fluctuation. They are clearly out of the playoff picture as they now rank 12th in the West. That does, however, lessen the likelihood that Golden State will prevail, supposing Utah fields a complete squad.
It is true that earning the eighth seed makes the postseason more straightforward. A team that places ninth or tenth is guaranteed two play-in games, which are both win-or-go-home affairs.
The Warriors’ roster is getting older. The back nine of their careers is home to all of their top players. Keeping them healthy is probably Kerr’s top priority instead of trying to catch up to the Lakers.
In addition, the Warriors have played in enough huge games to be comfortable handling the pressure of win-or-lose scenarios. Their past achievements in crucial situations will give them a small advantage over their rivals in both play-in tournament rounds.
Nevertheless, Golden State had hopes of winning a championship going into the season. It will be declared a failure for the season if it does not qualify for the playoffs. The front staff will probably try to alter the composition of the roster. The upcoming basketball week holds great importance for the core of the Warriors.
It will be intriguing to observe if Kerr’s decision to rest his players benefits them or prevents them from qualifying for the postseason. Fortunately, the answer won’t be too far off.
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