Golden State Warriors Playoff: After a season of ups and downs, the Warriors have returned to where they belong: the NBA playoffs.
With a 111-107 win over the Utah Jazz at Chase Center on Saturday, the Warriors earned a playoff berth for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Golden State is now the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed, with a one-game advantage over the Dallas Mavericks. Utah is presently three games behind the Warriors in the Western Conference.
The Golden State Warriors stunned the Jazz to clinch a playoff berth in dramatic fashion, rallying from a 21-point deficit. With an explosive fourth quarter, Klay Thompson ignited the comeback.
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Golden State Warriors has not made the playoffs since the 2011-12 season, and it was the first time in Steve Kerr’s coaching career.
From the 2014-15 season through the 2018-19 season, the Golden State Warriors appeared in the NBA Finals five times in a row, winning three times. However, in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, Kevin Durant tore his Achilles tendon, while Klay Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6. The Warriors’ injury problems didn’t end there.
Golden State Warriors Playoff: Thompson missed a second straight campaign
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The Golden State Warriors already faced an uphill fight in the 2019-20 season, with Durant leaving for the Brooklyn Nets in free agency and Thompson sidelined for the season. Steph Curry fractured his hand just four games into the season, played only one more game, and the Warriors had the worst record in the NBA at 15-50.
Thompson missed his second consecutive season after tearing his Achilles just before the start of the previous one. Despite the fact that Curry played like an MVP and set a new career-high of 32.0 points per game to lead the league, he did not win the game.
The Golden State Warriors missed the playoffs for the second year in a row after failing to score. The Warriors did make the inaugural play-in round, but despite Curry’s heroic efforts, they fell short in both games.
Despite the absence of Thompson to begin the season, the Warriors came out on fire on all cylinders. Curry carried on his success from the previous season, while Draymond Green was once again the Defensive Player of the Year.
Jordan Poole was having a breakout season in Year 3, and the front office could brag about their Andrew Wiggins deal, which included two lottery choices and free-agent acquisitions.
Kerr has stated that this season is unlike any other he has experienced as a coach or a player. After a tough regular season, he and the Warriors are back in the playoffs and will want to bring home another title.
