Golden State is waiting on Rockets to make one mistake.

Everything you wrote is rational but I don't think our team this year is inhibited by rationality. It seems to me like they just flat refuse to lose.

Curry and Kerr have both made good points about how hard they chased their first chip and how motivated they were then and how it's impossible to be as motivated when you're the class of the league. And too how much a team that seems to be ready to challenge for a championship for the first time they really have a shot at it (they were each speaking specifically about Rockets) is motivated like crazy.

I agree with those that say that the Warriors greatest enemy is complacency. But I also don't see how they change that until the playoffs.

So even though the games left seem to indicate Warriors will retake 1 seed, all I just posted above makes me feel like we're going to be the 1 seed.

When teams are in the position we're in now (and were in the year of our first championship with Olajuwon) I feel like rationality and any kind of rule book concerning how these things go just goes right out the window.

Rockets are WILLING themselves to the 1 seed. I don't think Warriors have it in them to outplay us in the remainder of the regular season, regardless of upcoming games. Rockets have proven they can beat any team in the NBA. And when they have their top three players they've only lost once. With their top two they've only lost 3 times. That is insane. And I think it's good cause to disregard arguments that might be true under other circumstances.

All I keep thinking as I watch these games is "these guys just refuse to lose." I don't see how GSW gets to that point until they face a real challenge in the playoffs. Pretty tough to motivate a team that went 16-1 on their way to the championship just last year to care very much about regular season games. And by getting behind us in the loss column and giving us the tiebreaker by losing season series to us, they've allowed us to be in charge of our own destiny when it comes to playoff seeding. They blew it when they let the Rockets catch them in the loss column. If anyone can overtake these Rockets it's GSW since no one else in the West is anywhere near us, but the current situation means the 1 seed is the Rockets' to lose. And they aren't doing that very much anymore. Losing I mean.

Playoffs are a whole different ballgame but I have Rockets as 1 seed going into the playoffs and no one could convince me differently until they had actually already lost their advantage. I do not think they will.

 

We have enough of a goon squad for a blood bath, and I'm not really sure why we'd have the pressure on us, they're the defending champs, 3 finals in a row, everyone's favourite. We're the puncher's chance.

PS peddle stool actually made me laugh, it's pedestal

 

Yes GS are the defending champs. But if the Rockets play them and we get embarrassed, and Harden under performs, then it'll make Daryl Morey & the whole organization look foolish. Morey's been talking about Golden State since the offseason (even though we were beat San Antonio). So there is tons of pressure on the Rockets to perform well not only in the playoffs, but against GS

 

AAAAND we did have a 26 point lead. Yea we choked it away, but we did build it in the first place.

We have a 1 loss cushion. Road against OKC and Raptors concern me. That said without Roberson OKC may be less of a threat. They certainly can't out firepower us. Raptors are disrespected just like us. SWEEPING us would be a huge statement for them, so they will be ready to play. If the Spurs and Kawhi kiss and make up anything can happen with that team. Also @ New Orleans is not a layup. But I expect us to win that one. Detroit could be interesting. Two big men give us issues. But, at least it is at home.

I don't know. If forced to pick a number I say we drop 3 more. Let's hope in that case that the Warriors drop at least 2. While the Warriors are not really scared about home court it can only help us. Then again with Anderson maybe not.

Also we hae 5 sets of back to backs. Warriors only 3 (2 of which the back end is Phoenix)

Our back ends are Bucks (road), Spurs (home) Wolves (Road), Hawks (Home), Kings (Road)

Hawks and Kings should be layups. Other 3. Not so sure as bucks are after OKC and Wolves after a road game at New Orleans

 

I agree 100%

And I would add something, it seems to me, Harden has taken this challenge seriously, I havent seen him play as intense as he was 1Q against the clippers. I think they see the #1 seed as a matching measure against the warriors, I think they, as you said, are willing themselves there.

It will be a very interesting end of season, Klay´s and Curry´s comments this week makes me think they also are going for it.

Great fun season!

 

Dang that like to hit us with those back to backs against top teams. I believe in this team though. They've shown perseverance that I haven't seen in a while

 

I feel like we need GS to lose 2 games... Here are the best candidates IMO:

March 8th: vs. SA
March 9th: at POR (best candidate, IMO. GSW with 0 days rest and POR with 2 days rest)
March 11th: at MIN
March 19th: at SA
April 3rd: at OKC (OKC might really need to win this game)

We'll have a really good idea after next weekend. If GS wins those 3 games from March 8-11, then we're just going to have to run perfect the rest of the way.