All seemed right for the Golden State Warriors after they went 3-1 during a four-game stretch in which they faced Memphis, Denver, Los Angeles, and Houston. This put the Dubs in a position to contend for home-court advantage in the Western Conference standings.
However, that dream became a nightmare on Wednesday when the Warriors fell at home to the San Antonio Spurs.
In a game Golden State needed to have with the Nuggets, Lakers, and Los Angeles Clippers all picking up key victories, Stephen Curry and Co. stalled. The Warriors were outscored 38-23 in the final quarter as the game ended on a Harrison Barnes buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
Now, the Dubs will have their eyes glued to the television on Thursday night when the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies play.
This is a very important game in the Western Conference playoff picture for the Timberwolves and Grizzlies. It is even more important for Golden State, as the result of this battle dictates their chances of potentially rising from the play-in region of the West standings.
That is why the Warriors need the Timberwolves to get a win on the road.
Why Warriors want Timberwolves to win
The Warriors need the Timberwolves to win on Thursday night in Memphis. This is not only because Golden State trails the Grizzlies in the standings but because of the tiebreakers that they own.
After losing to the Spurs, the Dubs are a half-game behind the Grizzlies for the 6-seed and a half-game in front of the Timberwolves for the 7-seed at 47-33.
To have a chance at avoiding the play-in tournament, the Warriors will need to see Denver, LA, and/or Memphis lose some games. Since Golden State doesn't own tiebreakers over the Nuggets or Clippers, it's the Grizzlies who present the easiest path to the Dubs potentially being able to breathe a sigh of relief.
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If the Timberwolves win, Memphis and Golden State will be even in the standings. The Warriors won the season tiebreaker over the Grizzlies this season, which means the Warriors would move up to the 6-seed without playing a game.
At that point, they would control their own destiny for the 6-seed or better by defeating the Portland Trail Blazers and Clippers in their final two games.
That is why the Warriors will be rooting hard for the Wolves to pull off the road win.
What a Grizzlies win means
On the flip side of things, a Grizzlies win makes the Warriors' path to potentially avoiding the play-in tournament complicated.
If Memphis wins, they would be even at 48-32 with Denver and LA in the standings. That would not be ideal for the Warriors since this means they would be a full game behind those three teams with two games left.
This means the Warriors would not only need to win out, but they would need either the Grizzlies or Clippers to lose their final two games of the season. Memphis will face Denver and Dallas, while LA plays Sacramento and Golden State to end the year.
While the Warriors can still avoid the play-in tournament with a Grizzlies win, it would be much easier to do so if Memphis falls.
