Weekly Dish

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With one game remaining in the regular season, the time the Warriors have been waiting for is upon us.

For the week of Monday, Apr. 9 – Sunday, Apr. 15

After 81 games, six months of anticipation and 9,225 points scored, the Warriors' long-awaited playoff pursuit of another championship is about to commence, with only one game remaining before the start of the postseason.

The Dubs are firmly locked into the #2 seed in the Western Conference, and while their primary focus has been on getting healthy for the second season that is about to begin, that hasn't been the case for most other teams in the playoff push. Currently, only half of the playoff spots in the West have been clinched, and while all eight East playoff teams are already known, there's still so much to be decided in terms of seeding in both conferences.

It sets the stage for a dramatic conclusion to the regular season before the playoffs start this coming weekend. For the Warriors, they'll be happy to get the postseason started, as it's been a considerable grind to get to this point.

The Dubs were ravaged by injuries this season, forcing Steve Kerr to use 27 different starting lineups, nearly double the 14 Golden State used a year ago. And it wasn't as if the injuries were limited to guys on the end of the bench; the Dubs became the first team in NBA history with four All-Stars in back-to-back seasons this year, and all four All-Stars have missed significant time. Stephen Curry will conclude the regular season with only 51 games played due to ankle and MCL injuries, the fewest he's played in since his third year in the league. Kevin Durant has missed 14 games, Draymond Green has missed 12, and Klay Thompson will need to play in the regular season finale to become the only one of Golden State's four All-Stars to not miss double-digit games this season.

As such, it's been more than a month since all four All-Stars played together, and that context has to be considered when evaluating the Warriors' regular season as a whole. After all, that foursome has accounted for 57.8 percent of Golden State's points scored this season (5,332), and the Dubs have a regular season winning percentage of .798 (75-19) dating back to the start of last season when all four All-Stars are active.

The latter three of those All-Stars (Durant, Green and Thompson) all returned to game action at the end of March, however, and appear poised to lead the Warriors into what is expected to be an arduous trek through the postseason, for however long it lasts. Playing alongside them will be a group of seasoned veterans like Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and David West, as well as some younger standouts who received valuable playing time this year, often as a result of those aforementioned injuries.

The Dubs did recently make a roster move, though, waiving Omri Casspi over the weekend. Casspi appeared in 53 games (seven starts) this season, averaging 5.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 14.0 minutes per game, but was squeezed out due to a roster crunch for the impending playoffs.

"It was difficult to go ahead and go through with it because he's been with us all season long and we love Omri and what he brought to the team," Kerr said prior to Sunday's win over Phoenix. "Great teammate. It was difficult to sit with him and tell him we were going to do this. But it was the only decision we could make under the circumstances…So this was the decision we had to come to. It wasn't fun."

"The main thing," Kerr continued, "is that Omri is a pro and a great teammate and he handled everything beautifully last night. I felt awful, but you have to do what you have to do."

Nobody knows that last sentiment better than the Warriors, who have participated in each of the last three NBA Finals. They know what they have to do to get to a fourth, and now, it's just a matter of going out there and making it happen.

Before the Warriors' postseason run gets started, Klay Thompson had to issue one last reminder of exactly what he's capable of when firing on all cylinders. There are very few things in basketball that get all viewers, both in arena and watching on television, irrespective of team allegiances, as excited as watching Thompson catch fire.

We've seen him score 37 points in a quarter. We've seen him score 60 points in fewer than 30 minutes. We've seen him bring the Warriors back from near-death in a must-win playoff game. And on Sunday, we were reminded of how effortless he can make it look.

Thompson, who is shooting a career-best 44.1 percent from three-point range this season, was as hot as hot gets to start Sunday's game against the Suns. He missed his first shot attempt, but made his next seven and at one point had scored 19-straight points for the Dubs. He finished the first quarter having shot 9-of-11 from the field for 22 points, including four three-pointers.

Those 22 points were six more than the number of dribbles (16) he took in that entire first frame. That's not quite 60 points on 11 dribbles, but hey, who's counting?

The 22-point quarter was the eighth 20-point quarter of Thompson's career, and his first this season. He'd finish the game with a game-high 34 points, his second-highest scoring total this season.

With one game remaining before the playoffs start, Thompson has a chance to extend another personal milestone. He's averaged at least 21.7 points per game in each of the last three seasons, and enters Tuesday's game with an average of 19.97 points per contest so far this year. So, if he's able to score at least 22 points on Tuesday against the Jazz, he'll eclipse the 20-point scoring average plateau for the fourth-straight season. That scoring average holds particular significance to the Warriors, as Golden State is 31-6 this season when Thompson scores at least 20 points.

Thompson's ability to score in bunches will be even more crucial once the playoffs begin, particularly for however long the Warriors are without Curry. If he can sprinkle in a few performances like Sunday, it should bode well for Golden State's postseason success.

With one game remaining on their regular season schedule, the Warriors have a chance to do what no other team in franchise history has ever done. With a victory on Tuesday night in Utah, the Warriors would clinch a better road record (30-11) than home record (29-12) for the first time in franchise history.

After their game on Tuesday, the Warriors regular season will be over, but they'll have to wait another 24 hours before they find out who their first round opponent will be. There are currently five teams separated by only one game for the final four playoff spots in the West, and as fate would have it, several of them play each other on Wednesday on the final day of the NBA regular season. As the #2 seed, Golden State will face the #7 seed in the first round, with playoff action beginning this weekend.

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The Weekly Dish, Presented by Mountain Dew Kickstart

As the Warriors approach the end of the regular season, they've been reminded of what's truly important.

For the week of Monday, Apr. 2 – Sunday, Apr. 8

It's been an emotional roller coaster, and the playoffs haven't even started yet.

Thus is the state of the Warriors, who are now down to five games remaining on their regular season schedule, coming off a week that saw both positive and frightening developments.

Let's start with the good stuff, shall we?

After Golden State opened the week with a low scoring loss to Indiana, it was great to see some of the Dubs' marquee players return to the lineup over the ensuing days. Kevin Durant returned to action in Thursday's loss to Milwaukee after missing the previous two weeks with a rib injury, and totaled 66 points in 82 minutes over five of the final six halves of the week. Draymond Green returned from a three-game absence in that same contest, and finished the week with averages of 10.7 points, 8.3 assists, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Finally, Klay Thompson, who missed eight games while nursing a fractured thumb, returned in time to help the Warriors sweep the weekend back-to-back over the Kings and Suns, scoring 25 and 23 points in each victory, respectively.

After last week, that All-Star trio has now outscored opponents by 9.2 points per 100 possessions in 329 minutes on the court together. To compare, the Warriors lead the NBA this season with a net rating of 9.1 points per 100 possessions.

Now, as great as those numbers are, they still pale in comparison to the gaudy statistics Golden State has put up with Stephen Curry in the lineup. The Warriors are better in nearly every statistical category with the two-time MVP in tow, but that speaks more to Curry's greatness than it does to any fault of the other players on the roster. The Dubs obviously hope to get a healthy Curry back in the lineup as soon as possible, but it can't hurt that Golden State has some time to learn how to play without him before the playoffs begin.

The Warriors, Dub Nation and the rest of the NBA held their collective breaths on Saturday night when Patrick McCaw was fouled and came down awkwardly from a layup attempt, landing on his backside underneath the Kings' basket. Steve Kerr described the scene that unfolded as the "scariest thing [he has] experienced on a basketball court."

McCaw was removed from the game on a stretcher and taken to UC Davis Medical Center for further evaluation. Prior to resuming the game, both the Warriors and Kings joined arms in a prayer circle in a sign of solidarity for their injured NBA brother.

The Dubs would go on to win the game, but nobody cared to talk about it afterward. The team's heart and focus were rightfully with their teammate, who has been lauded for his constant effort and commitment to his craft.

Luckily, it appears McCaw may have avoided the worst. The second-year player's X-rays, CT scan and MRI exams all came back clear, and he did not suffer any structural or neural disruption. He was released from the hospital on Sunday with a lumbar spine contusion, and on Monday, took to Twitter to make his first public comments since suffering the injury:

At this time, McCaw's timetable for a potential return to game action remains unknown, but that's the least of his or the team's worries right now. Saturday's scary fall was a reminder to all involved that there are bigger things at stake than basketball, and none bigger than the health and welfare of the players that put their bodies on the line on a nightly basis.

The return of Durant, Green and Thompson to the lineup was undoubtedly a boon to the Warriors' spirits as they approach the final 10 days of the regular season. However, their return may have slightly overshadowed one of the best stories this year – not just in Golden State, but in the NBA at large.

You simply cannot say enough about how great Quinn Cook has performed in what couldn't have been an easy situation to inherit. The two-way player who put together the first 50-40-90 season in G League history this year gets called up to the big club to take the place of a two-time MVP in the starting lineup. And not only does he do an adequate job; he surpasses all reasonable expectations as well.

In the four games last week, Cook posted averages of 17.5 points, 4.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game on 52.8 percent shooting from the field and 50.0 percent shooting from three-point range. It may have come in a losing effort, but Cook's career-high 30 points scored against the Bucks on 12-of-15 shooting from the field and 5-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc is about as on-point of a Steph Curry impersonation as you'll ever see.

Cook has now scored in double figures in 10 consecutive games and has led the Warriors in scoring in half of those contests. There is only one Steph Curry, but Cook has already proven himself a capable NBA guard.

The Warriors' regular season schedule is rapidly coming to a close, with only five games remaining until the playoffs start, and four of those will take place in the week ahead. Golden State's week begins with road games in Oklahoma City and Indianapolis on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, as the Dubs will close out their season series with the Thunder and Pacers. After that, the Warriors will return to the Bay Area to begin their final back-to-back sequence of the regular season. Golden State hosts the Pelicans on Saturday in their final home game of the season, before making the trip to Phoenix to face the Suns on Sunday. Of those four opponents, only the Suns are certain to miss the playoffs this year, so expect a playoff-like atmosphere as teams make their final push for the postseason.

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The injuries continue to pile up, but the Warriors still sit in great position.

For the week of Monday, Mar. 26 – Sunday, Apr. 1

A lot has gone right for the Warriors over the last several years, but lately, that just hasn't been the case.

Imagine, the first team in NBA history to have four All-Stars in consecutive seasons loses not one, not two, not three...but all four star players to injury in a span of six games. That stretch doesn't even include the game in which Stephen Curry hurt his ankle, and right in line with the Warriors' luck lately, the two-time MVP suffered a sprained MCL in his first game back. Draymond Green, who suffered a pelvic injury in the loss to the Spurs to begin last week, was slated to return on Sunday, but came down with flu-like symptoms.

The fact of the matter is, the Warriors have not played a game in which Curry, Green, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson all participated in almost three full weeks, dating back to a 110-107 victory over the Spurs on March 8, the very same game in which Curry hurt his ankle. Now, one could make the argument that these injuries could be a blessing in disguise, as they afford the Warriors' most critical players - three of which have gone to back-to-back-to-back NBA Finals – some time late in the regular season to recharge their batteries and get ready for what they hope to be a long playoff campaign. That said, you'd always prefer to be healthy going into the postseason, and the hope now is that Golden State can get as close to that idea as possible.

We know 'healthy' will have to exclude Curry, who is slated to be re-evaluated in three weeks, right as the playoffs begin. While nobody knows how Curry's body will respond over that time, at this point, the Warriors must assume that whoever they face in the first round of the playoffs, they will have to do so without one of the best players in the world.

"Oh there's no way he's playing in the first round, there's no way," said Steve Kerr of Curry ahead of Sunday's loss to the Jazz. "He's being re-evaluated in three weeks. We have to be ready to play without him and see how he's coming along. The good thing is that we have been through this. We went through it last year with KD, he missed five weeks or so. It wasn't exactly the same timeline, but it was a similar injury and similar circumstance where we had to play without one of our best players. We felt that appropriate fear and turned it up and got it going. When KD came back, Finals MVP after missing six weeks."

"There are a lot of similarities here," Kerr added, "and I think we should feel good about our ability to play through this stuff.”

Alright, now that we've delved into the negative, how about some good news?

By defeating the Hawks on Friday on the same night the Trail Blazers lost to the Celtics, the Warriors' magic number to clinch a top-two seed in the West is down to one. That means a single Golden State victory, or a single Portland defeat throughout the remainder of the regular season will ensure the Warriors finish no worse than second in the conference.

That's kind of a big deal, given Golden State's current injury situation. Obviously they'd prefer to have a completely healthy roster, but there is some comfort in knowing that while they're this depleted, it won't have a drastic impact on the team's regular season finish and playoff seeding.

Moving forward, the number of games remaining on the Warriors' regular season slate is down to single digits (nine). The playoffs are definitely in sight. Now it's just a matter of getting healthy before they begin.

There are two other holdovers from the Warriors' back-to-back-to-back Finals trips, and one of them in particular is getting hot at the right time.

Andre Iguodala's value to Golden State has never been limited to the points he scores. He does so many other things, and his versatility has been critical to the Dubs' success over the last several years.

However, it certainly doesn't hurt when opposing defenses have to account for Iguodala, in addition to the bevy of deadly scorers the Warriors already possess. Early in the season, Iguodala was struggling from three-point range, but ever since the All-Star break, he's been a totally different three-point marksman.

Entering Sunday's game against Utah, Iguodala had made a three-pointer in five-straight games, a season-best streak. Prior to that game, he hadn't made more than two treys in a game all season, but he doubled that against the Jazz, converting four of his five attempts from beyond the arc.

For the week, Iguodala shot 55.6 percent from the field, 60.0 percent from three-point range and led the team in total plus-minus (plus-16). And, with last week now in the rearview mirror, Iguodala has made precisely 50.0 percent of his three-point attempts since returning from the All-Star break.

With the regular season nearing its end, Iguodala's timing couldn't be better:

"Andre looks great," said Steve Kerr following Sunday's loss. "The last month his body, his athleticism, his bounce – it's all coming together. I think that's a great sign for us. You always know you can count on him to know what is happening on the floor and make the right plays, but when he's looking this spry and athletic, that's when we are really tough to beat."

As things come together for Iguodala, they tend to do the same for the team in general.

Halfway through their four-game homestand, the Warriors will finish that off in the week ahead. Golden State will open the week with home games against the Pacers and Bucks on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, representing the last time the Dubs will play consecutive home games until the playoffs begin. Once the homestand concludes, the Warriors will head out on the road for their final game of the week, making the short trip up to Sacramento for their final matchup with the Kings this season on Saturday. The Kings have already defeated the Warriors twice this year, and both the Bucks and Pacers are likely headed to the postseason, with Indiana having already clinched a playoff spot. As such, Golden State's slate in the week ahead is no small task, but with each day that passes, the Dubs' injured players get that much closer to returning.

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The Warriors are shorthanded for now, but it could serve them well in the long run.

For the week of Monday, Mar. 19 – Sunday, Mar. 25

Less than a month from now, the Warriors will be playing in a postseason series. That much was ensured when Golden State clinched their fourth-straight Pacific Division title last week.

As the Warriors and their fans know all too well by now, the playoffs are a totally different animal than the regular season. The stakes are obviously higher, with each success and error magnified due to the importance of every outcome. As such, strategies are altered. For instance, benches are often shortened, with some reserves falling completely out of the rotation in order to maximize the number of minutes doled out to the starters. For reserves in particular, there's often a strong correlation between the number of opportunities they receive in the playoffs and the degree to which they capitalized on the opportunities they received during the regular season.

Due to a recent string of injuries to some of Golden State's most critical players, several Dubs' reserves are currently getting an extended opportunity to leave one final, lasting impression before the playoffs begin. And if their play last week is any indication, some are prepared to take full advantage of it.

For instance, while he's certainly not a reserve, Draymond Green is often asked to do some of the less glamorous things on the court when Curry, Durant and Thompson are providing their combined scoring average of 72.6 points per game. But when the Dubs' three top scorers are all out of the lineup, it places Green more in the offensive spotlight, and he took full advantage of an opportunity to showcase more of his offensive side this past week.

Green, who missed the win over the Lakers with a sore shoulder, returned for the final two games of the week, and nearly notched a triple-double in each one. After totaling 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the loss to the Kings, Green tallied a season-high 25 points the very next night in the win over the Suns, in addition to another 11 boards and eight assists. But perhaps the most promising thing Green showcased last week was his accuracy from three-point range. After struggling with his three-point shot for the majority of the season, Green knocked down seven of his 17 three-point attempts last week, a 41.2 percent clip. While Green won't receive as many three-point opportunities when Golden State gets back to full strength, it will make the Dubs that much tougher to defend if he can be a consistent, accurate threat.

Green, himself, is an All-Star, but there were plenty of reserves that stepped up big time for the Warriors last week. Quinn Cook posted career-highs in scoring on back-to-back nights (more on him in a moment), Nick Young made three three-pointers in every game, and Kevon Looney notched a career-best 13 points and six blocks in the win in Phoenix, the most blocks by any bench player in the NBA this season. Much like Green, the reserves won't be asked to do as much once the Warriors get back to full strength, and particularly so once the playoffs begin. But, in capitalizing on the opportunities presented to them last week, they're proving they'll be ready when called upon, if and when that time arrives.

It can't be easy for any player to take Stephen Curry's place in the starting lineup. When you're a two-way player with only a handful of career starts to your NBA resume, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see one shrink in the face of such a lofty standard.

Quinn Cook may not be the tallest guy on the court, but you won't see him shrinking from anything, either.

In the three games last week, Cook averaged 22.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game on 63.4 percent shooting from the field and 64.7 percent shooting from three-point range. If that isn't a great Steph Curry impression, I don't know what is.

Cook was particularly great in the back-to-back to close out the week, first establishing a career high with 25 points against the Kings, before surpassing that the very next night with 28 points against Phoenix, the most points scored by a two-way player in the NBA this season.

As a two-way player, Cook has split his time between Santa Cruz and Golden State this season. He ranks second in the G League in scoring, and will easily qualify as the first 50-40-90 player in G League history this year. But perhaps his most impressive attribute has been his ability to step right into a Western Conference playoff race at the NBA level and not skip a beat.

Since he's on a two-way contract, he currently doesn't have a spot on the playoff roster. However, he's doing everything in his power to make a case as to why he deserves one.

It's entirely possible the Warriors will remain without the help of Curry, Durant or Thompson throughout the week ahead, making it more challenging than it would be otherwise. Golden State's week begins on Monday with a road matchup in San Antonio against a desperate Spurs team, but following that contest, the Dubs will begin a four-game homestand, and won't play again until Friday night. That homestand begins with a matchup against the Hawks, and continues on Sunday when the Warriors close out the week against the streaking Utah Jazz.

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With one month remaining in the regular season, the Warriors' priorities are coming into view.

For the week of Monday, Mar. 12 – Sunday, Mar. 18

Golden State got off to a strong start last week before stumbling with back-to-back losses to close it, but much like a duck on a pond, there was a lot going on underneath the surface of the Warriors' record.

There was a 25-0 run and a typically dominant Dubs' third quarter in the win over the Nets to begin the week, showcasing the supreme offensive potency Golden State can display at any given moment. Stephen Curry played a critical role in that victory, but suffered an ankle injury in the opening minutes of the game against the Spurs, a development that would have a significant impact on the team's performance throughout the rest of the week.

The Dubs still managed to beat San Antonio, thanks in large part to some clutch play from Kevin Durant down the stretch. He scored 37 points in the victory, including 12-straight for Golden State in the final minutes to complete a comeback, but Curry's absence was certainly felt. Durant would do everything in his power to supplement Curry's scoring in the final two games to close the week, but the injuries to Curry and several other players on the roster ultimately proved too much to overcome.

In addition to Curry, Andre Iguodala, David West, Patrick McCaw and Jordan Bell all missed both defeats due to injury, and even Quinn Cook was questionable for Sunday's game in Minnesota with a right hand contusion, although he still ended up playing. Still, despite being immensely shorthanded, the Warriors didn't throw in the towel; in fact, they had both the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves on the ropes at certain points throughout the games.

"We are in a tough stretch and I am really proud of our guys," said Steve Kerr following the loss in Minnesota. "I thought they battled again tonight and just didn't have enough left in the tank. I am very pleased with the effort and we will get some guys back here hopefully in the next week or two. I am very confident in the way that we are heading, we are just in a little bit of a tough stretch."

The Warriors fought hard, and although they didn't get the outcomes they desired, the effort they displayed against the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves is going to serve them well come playoff time, which is right around the corner. Golden State is clearly at their best when at full strength, and while there's still plenty at stake in the Western Conference playoff race, the best thing the Warriors can do throughout the next month is maintain that effort, and most importantly, get healthy heading into the postseason.

It can't be easy inheriting the scoring burden created by Curry's absence from the lineup, but then again, Durant is no ordinary scorer.

He came through when it mattered most in willing the Warriors to victory over San Antonio, and backed that up with two even higher point totals in Golden State's next two games to close the week.

After notching 37 points against the Spurs, Durant brought his hot hand to Portland, where he unleashed yet another dominant offensive performance in front of the Moda Center crowd. Back on February 14th, Durant dropped a season-high 50 points on the road against the Blazers in Golden State's final game before the All-Star break, and then on Friday, followed that up with a 40-point game in Rip City (on the back end of a home-road back-to-back, mind you). In doing so, Durant became the first NBA player to score 50 and 40 points in consecutive road games against the same opponent since Allen Iverson at Milwaukee in 2004, and also became the first Warrior to do so since Rick Barry at Detroit in 1967.

While he wasn't as efficient as he was in the games against the Spurs and Trail Blazers, Durant still managed to score 39 points in Sunday's defeat at the hands of the Timberwolves, in addition to securing 12 rebounds. For the week, Durant averaged 33.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 4.3 three-pointers per game on 46.3 percent shooting from the field, 51.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 90.9 percent from the free throw line.

Oh, and he also added another 10 blocks, which now leaves him two behind Kristaps Porzingis for the second-most in the NBA this season.

The Warriors are banged up right now, but some good news comes in the form of a relatively lighter schedule in the week ahead. Golden State will first attempt to get back on the right track when they host the Lakers on Wednesday, meaning they will have had more than three days in between games when they take the court that night. After that, the Dubs close out the week with another home-road back-to-back sequence that will have them play the Kings at Oracle Arena on Friday before traveling to Phoenix to face the Suns on Saturday. Back-to-backs are never easy, but at the very least, it's not a long flight. While none of Golden State's opponents this week are headed to the playoffs, you can be sure each and every one of them would love nothing more than to play the role of ‘spoiler', so the Warriors can't take anything for granted in the week ahead.

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Since returning from the All-Star break, the Warriors have played as well as any team in the league.

For the week of Monday, Mar. 5 – Sunday, Mar. 11

Less than 20 games remain on the Warriors' regular season schedule, and they're playing as well as any team in the league right now.

By completing an undefeated road trip that featured wins over the Knicks, Wizards and Hawks, the Warriors improved to 49-14 on the season, still a half-game behind Houston for the top record in the NBA. That undefeated trip improved Golden State to 5-0 in games since the All-Star break, which ties them for the best record in the league over that span. It's the second-longest win streak for the Warriors following the All-Star break in franchise history, trailing only an eight-game win streak set back in 1992.

Why have the Dubs gotten off to such a strong start to the stretch run? It has a lot to do with the fact that they're putting themselves in position to win from the outset of their games. Steve Kerr inserted JaVale McGee into the starting lineup coming out of the break, and ever since then, the Warriors have been the best first quarter team in the league, outscoring the opposition by 29.5 points per 100 possessions in the opening frame. Combine that with the fact that Golden State is outscoring their opponents by 21.5 points per 100 possessions in the third quarter on the season to date, and it's easy to see why they've had so much success.

With one more victory throughout the remainder of the 2017-18 campaign, Golden State would secure a 50-win season for the fifth consecutive year. Prior to this current stretch, the Warriors had accumulated a total of only four 50-win seasons throughout their franchise history.

Nearly 45 percent of the Warriors' wins this season have come against the Eastern Conference, as the Dubs have thoroughly dominated their interconference matchups. They're now 22-3 against the East, and outside of a loss in Boston in mid-November, the Warriors have not lost a single road game to an Eastern Conference team this year. Golden State's 13-1 road record against the East is not only their highest road winning percentage against the East in franchise history, but is also just one victory short of tying the best interconference road record in Western Conference history, set by the 2007-08 Phoenix Suns, who went 14-1 against the East.

That final remaining road game against the East won't come until April 5th, when the Dubs travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers, after which Golden State will have only three games remaining on their regular season schedule. While one would imagine the Warriors will have clinched a playoff spot by then, homecourt advantage could still very much be up for grabs, so every game from here on out carries added significance.

While Golden State did complete an undefeated road trip, they were leaking oil at the end of it. But, thanks to an incredible defensive play by Andre Iguodala at the conclusion of Friday's game in Atlanta, the Dubs were able to eek out a victory over the Hawks.

"It was a helluva play," Kerr said of Iguodala's game-sealing steal. "That is an attacking defensive play. It was pretty impressive just to basically take the ball from Kent (Bazemore), and go down and finish the game. That was amazing."

Amazing, indeed. The fast break dunk that followed the steal provided the final two points of Iguodala's nine-point, five-rebound and six-assist output that night, and presented the most recent sign that the 14-year veteran is rounding into form for the stretch run. For the week, Iguodala averaged 10.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals per game on 61.1 percent shooting from the field, 37.5 percent shooting from three-point range and 87.5 percent shooting from the free throw line.

"I'm OK. I'm getting there," Iguodala said of his physical health. "This is a weird trip for us. It's good that we got these wins. Tuesday will be a trap game. We have to be careful with that one as well. These were three tough games. We were really off as far as our bodies and sleeping."

As mentioned previously, the Warriors won't have to worry about too many weird travel schedules from here on out. That trap game that Iguodala referred to, however, should occupy Golden State's full attention.

The trap game Iguodala spoke of is a 'trap' due to a couple of conditions: one being the opponent, and the other, the timing. Golden State opens up the week with a home game against the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, who are currently tied for the worst record in the Eastern Conference, but pushed the Dubs to the final minutes of their previous encounter back on November 19. Following that game, the Warriors will then round out the week with three games against opponents with considerably better winning percentages. Golden State hosts San Antonio at Oracle Arena on Thursday, before heading out on a brief two-game road trip that will see them face the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Each of those final three opponents is currently in playoff position in the West, and with a home-road back-to-back mixed in, the week ahead promises to be a challenging one.

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In getting off to strong starts last week, the Warriors helped ensure they'd get off to a strong start to the stretch run.

For the week of Tuesday, Feb. 26 – Sunday, Mar. 4

The Warriors were hoping the All-Star break would reinvigorate the team with the energy necessary to attack the stretch run of the season. Based on the results from last week, it appears they made good use of that brief respite.

The Dubs began their first post-All-Star break week of play with a victory over the Clippers, Golden State's closest competitor within the Pacific division. Then, Golden State followed that up with a sound home win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that had beaten the Warriors in both prior encounters earlier this season. In both cases, the Warriors addressed one of the major pitfalls that had afflicted them going into the break.

Over the 18 games the Warriors played before the All-Star break, they allowed their opponents to average 126 points per 100 possessions in the first six minutes of the first quarter. In the wins over the Clippers and Thunder, Golden State held their opponents to a combined 22 points on 32 combined possessions in the first six minutes of their respective games. Now, advanced statistics can get a bit convoluted, but you don't have to be a math major to know that's a significant improvement.

At the end of those two first quarters, Golden State held leads of 34-23 and 24-19. They limited their opponents to four combined fast break points in those first frames, and held them to 3-of-21 (.143) combined shooting from three-point range. Now, Golden State's staunch defense may have relented somewhat throughout the remainder of the victory over the Clippers, but they managed to sustain it throughout the entirety of the win over the Thunder, in which the Warriors held Oklahoma City to a grand total of 80 points. That not only tied a season-low for points allowed by Golden State, but was also the Thunder's worst offensive efficiency of their season.

"That's our staple," Kevin Durant said of the team's strong defensive performance. "That's what we need to do in order for us to win. If we want to win a championship, we're going to have to lock down on the defensive end and rebound. We have to give them one shot. Guys have to come in flying and get the rebound. I think we did a good job of making them shoot tough shots over us. They are great players so sometimes they're going to make them. If we make them shoot tough shots all game, after a while they'll get worn down."

Both games last week had a playoff feel to them, and before we know it, all of them will. Those two wins improved Golden State's record to 46-14 on the season, meaning that 22 games remain on their regular season schedule. The Warriors currently have a 14-game lead on the Clippers for the Pacific Division title, but they still sit a half-game behind the red-hot Rockets for the top spot in the conference. Golden State will have plenty to play for over the final 22 games, but the two wins last week were a great start.

Standout Spotlight: JaVale McGee & Nick Young

One commonality between the Warriors' fast starts last week was the presence of JaVale McGee in the lineup from the opening tip. Steve Kerr chose to give McGee the start at center in place of Zaza Pachulia for both games with the hopes that he would inject some energy and bring a more vertical dimension to the lineup, and the move paid off immediately. With McGee in the starting lineup against the Clippers, Golden State accumulated assists on their first eight baskets, and the Dubs held both the Clippers and Thunder to less than a point per possession with McGee on the floor. Certain matchups seem to play more in McGee's favor than others, but there's no disputing he had a considerable impact on the Warriors' strong starts to their victories.

And if McGee got the Warriors off to a strong start, Nick Young played a big role in helping them finish in similar fashion. Young had his best performance in weeks against the Thunder, making four of his five three-point attempts in the game, including one that beat the third quarter buzzer and swayed the momentum heavily in favor of the Dubs. Although the Warriors rank fourth in the NBA with an average of 11.8 three-pointers per game, they've gotten only 2.1 made threes per game from their bench, which ranks dead last in the league. If Young can provide a consistent three-point threat off the bench, it could do wonders for the spacing and effectiveness of Golden State's reserve units.

The Warriors have only one remaining road trip consisting of more than two games in length, and that takes place in the week ahead. Golden State's three-game road trip will take them from north to south along the East Coast, beginning with a matchup in New York later tonight. This Tuesday marks the five-year anniversary of Stephen Curry's 54-point game at Madison Square Garden, and it would not be surprising at all to see the two-time MVP go off once again on the big stage. After Monday's game against the Knicks, the Warriors will head to D.C. to face the Washington Wizards on Wednesday before closing out their road trip in Atlanta against the Hawks on Friday. Once Golden State returns home from the trip, they'll have only one remaining road game against Eastern Conference teams this season (4/5 at Indiana). Considering the Dubs have only lost one road game to an Eastern Conference team this season, the week ahead presents a great opportunity to clinch a thoroughly dominant interconference road record.

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With All-Star Weekend now in the rearview mirror, the push for the playoffs commences.

For the week of Tuesday, Feb. 20 – Sunday, Feb. 25

NBA All-Star Weekend has come and gone, and the crazed frenzy that is the backstretch of the season will now commence. For the first time in awhile, though, the Warriors find themselves in unfamiliar territory entering the playoff push – that being, there's a team above them in the standings.

With a home win over Phoenix prior to losing their final game before the All-Star break last week, Golden State's record currently stands at 44-14 on the season, a half-game behind Houston for the top record in the league. The Dubs have the same amount of victories as the Rockets, but one additional defeat, which meant the Warriors didn't have the top winning percentage in the NBA at the break for the first time in Steve Kerr's tenure as head coach.

The difference in percentages is miniscule, however, so this could be a fluid situation throughout the rest of the regular season. In fact, that's a good way to look at the Western Conference playoff picture in general. The Warriors currently have a 9.5 game lead on San Antonio in third place, while the Spurs sit just 4.5 games ahead of Utah in 10th. This is going to come down to the final day(s), folks.

From a Warriors perspective, there are numerous reasons for optimism heading down the backstretch.

For one, the team's offense is as good as ever. In fact, it is as good as any offense ever. Golden State is averaging 113.7 points per 100 possessions, which is on pace to be the highest in NBA history. That's 0.5 points per 100 possessions more than they scored last season, and 4.0 points more than they scored in 2014-15 on their way to the title.

Then there's the All-Star Game, itself. Perhaps you noticed the Warriors had a rather large presence in that exhibition, even if Team Stephen didn't come away with the win. Between Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, the Dubs had four representatives in the All-Star Game for the second-straight year. That's not only a source of immense pride for the organization; it's also unprecedented. Never before in the history of the league had a team had four All-Stars in back-to-back seasons. With those four All-Stars in tow, you have to feel good about Golden State's chances in the 24 regular season games that remain.

Speaking of the remaining schedule, that might be the biggest reason for optimism. Golden State's remaining opponents have a combined winning percentage of .463; the remaining opponent winning percentage for every other team in the Western Conference is superior to that. And, already boasting the top road record in the league, the Warriors have only one remaining road trip of more than two games, a three-game East Coast swing at the end of this month. Every team in the NBA is capable of winning on any given night, but if you're Golden State, you have to feel good about the way the schedule is set up from here on out.

He was the lone Warriors player to be on the winning side in the All-Star Game, which capped off a highly efficient and milestone week for him as a member of Golden State.

First, in the Dubs' win over the Suns, Durant scored 17 points on nine shot attempts, before recording his first-ever 50-point game in a Warriors uniform in the loss to the Trail Blazers. In both games, he also added seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks.

If you need a reminder of just how talented of a scorer Durant is, look no further than a sequence in the third quarter of that loss to Portland, in which KD converted not one, but two four-point plays in a span of 62 seconds.

Forget 62 seconds, or even a single quarter for that matter. Durant became the first player in franchise history with two four-point plays in the same game since Jamal Crawford did it back in 2009.

The Warriors went into the All-Star break with a two-game week, and they'll come out of it in the exact same way. First up, Golden State will renew acquaintances with the Clippers on Thursday night in their fourth and final matchup this season, before taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, with both games taking place at Oracle Arena. Both the Clippers and Thunder defeated the Warriors in their most recent encounters, meaning the Dubs should possess all of the necessary motivation to get off to a strong start to the playoff push.