Podziemski: “We’re Playing with Desperation”
The Golden State Warriors suffered a narrow 106-108 defeat against the Dallas Mavericks today, halting their recent six-game winning streak and leaving them in the 10th position in the Western Conference. After the game, Brandin Podziemski of the Warriors expressed the team’s desire to avoid the play-in tournament, stating that they are currently playing with a sense of desperation.
Uphill Battle for Playoff Seeding
With the Warriors riding a hot streak of six consecutive victories and trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by only 2.5 games, Podziemski addressed the team’s mindset, saying, “We’re playing with desperation. We know our season is in jeopardy. We’re trying to fight for that sixth seed, only three games back.” However, following today’s loss and Klay Thompson’s missed opportunity for a game-winning shot, the Warriors now find themselves three games behind the Lakers and four games behind the sixth-seeded Phoenix Suns.
Slim Playoff Hopes
Today marked the Warriors’ 45th game of the season with a score differential of less than five points in the final five minutes. With only five games remaining in the season, their chances of avoiding the play-in tournament seem bleak. In the closing moments of the game, Kyrie Irving received the inbound pass and, after being double-teamed, passed the ball to Tim Hardaway Jr., who then found PJ Washington cutting to the basket for the game-winning score.
Kerr Praises Defensive Effort
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr praised the team’s defensive performance, saying, “I liked our defense. We were in the right spot against Irving with the ball. Hardaway Jr. made a great pass, getting the ball up high. Trayce Jackson-Davis was there defensively, and then Draymond Green was right behind him, maybe an inch away from tipping the ball out of bounds.”
Balanced Scoring Effort
In today’s game, four Warriors players scored in double digits, including starters Stephen Curry and Thompson, with Curry leading the team with 28 points, and Thompson contributing 16 points. Off the bench, Podziemski and Gary Payton II both added 14 points. Despite Luka Doncic’s absence, the Mavericks had five players scoring in double digits, with Washington leading the way with 32 points.
Playoff Picture
With a current record of 42 wins and 35 losses, the Warriors need just one more win to secure a spot in the play-in tournament. Their remaining five games of the season include matchups against the Utah Jazz twice, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the New Orleans Pelicans. The final few games will be crucial for the Warriors if they hope to avoid the play-in tournament. (BK8F)
