Stephen Curry skipped the Golden State Warriors’ previous game against the Utah Jazz because the team wanted to give him more rest before the regular season’s final week. Ultimately, the Warriors did not need Curry against the Jazz, winning 118-110 behind Klay Thompson’s 32 points. Steph Curry and the Warriors now face a critical battle against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, which could pave the way for a late-season rise out of the Western Conference’s 10-seed.
The Lakers now hold a 1.5-game lead over the Warriors for the 9th spot in the West. A victory against Los Angeles not only puts Curry and Co. a half-game behind the Lakers, but it also temporarily gives them the season tiebreaker over their in-state rivals. The Warriors have an easy schedule to finish the season, but if they can beat the Lakers on Tuesday night, they might claim the 9th or better seed in the play-in tournament.
This is why Steph Curry’s position in the game is so crucial. Despite missing their previous game, all indicators point to Curry being prepared for this key showdown against Los Angeles.
To have a chance of making the playoffs, the Warriors will need Steph Curry to be at his peak performance. That was the primary rationale for resting him against the Jazz the other night, as Curry appeared to need a day off both physically and emotionally. Curry is no longer on the injury list, and he will return to the lineup for a crucial game against the Lakers.
If the Warriors lose this game, they will be locked into a play-in bracket place and will most likely need to win two straight road games to clinch the Western Conference’s eighth seed. In doing so, they may meet the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
A victory over the Lakers solves a number of concerns for the Warriors. They still have an outside chance of securing the 6-seed in the West, and the ability to climb up to the 7- or 8-seed in the conference remains a possibility. This would be a far better scenario for Curry and the Warriors, as a one-game, winner-take-all matchup between the 9th and 10th seeds against either the Lakers or the Sacramento Kings does not seem attractive.
The Warriors will be the road team against the Lakers on Tuesday night, a position in which they have unexpectedly found a lot of success despite their road problems last year. Golden State is currently 23-16 on the road this season, having won seven of their previous ten games away from Chase Center, including a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Curry, who is once again among the league’s top scorers, has crushed the Lakers this season. Curry has averaged 36.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in their last three games this season, hitting 18-of-44 (40.9 percent) from three-point range.
Although Anthony Davis and LeBron James are uncertain, both All-Stars are slated to face the Warriors in this crucial game. Golden State forward Andrew Wiggins, who has missed the past two games due to a left ankle sprain, is also likely to participate, with Curry returning on Tuesday night.
