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Stephen Curry poured in 37 points and Brandin Podziemski added 28 as the Warriors rolled past the Lakers 123-118 on Thursday night in Los Angeles. The win marked Steve Kerr and Golden State’s fourth straight and brought them within striking distance of the No. 4 seed, now just one game behind the Lakers in the Western Conference standings.
The Warriors strengthened their push to bypass the play-in tournament and claim home-court advantage in the first round by earning clutch road wins over the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers. More importantly, they backed up their resurgence by proving they can go toe-to-toe with top-tier Western Conference opponents when it matters most.
The Warriors are closing in on the No. 3 seed in the West, currently occupied by the Nuggets, who sit just 1.5 games ahead. However, Golden State faces a hurdle—they don't hold the tiebreaker against either the Lakers or the Nuggets, which could prove costly down the stretch.
Despite boasting a strong 20-4 record since acquiring Jimmy Butler in February, the Warriors still face plenty of pressure from behind. They’re aiming to stay firmly inside the West’s top six to avoid slipping into the play-in tournament, making every game down the stretch critical.
All season long, Warriors coach Steve Kerr has opted to rest Warriors star Stephen Curry during back-to-back sets. Following Thursday’s clash with the Lakers, Curry was initially expected to sit out Friday’s showdown against the Nuggets. But with the standings tightening and playoff implications looming large, Kerr now seems ready to lean on Curry and his veteran crew to stay in the hunt.
Steve Kerr focusing on the Warriors' playoff push
According to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Steve Kerr made it clear the Warriors will roll out all their veterans for Friday’s showdown against the Nuggets at home. When asked about the plan, Kerr didn’t hesitate: “Oh, yeah.”
That list features Curry and veteran forward Draymond Green—though Jimmy Butler, still dealing with a forearm injury, might be sidelined for the Nuggets matchup. If he does sit, it’ll be because of the injury, not for load management.
As it stands, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves trail the Warriors by just half a game, sitting at the sixth and seventh spots in the West. Meanwhile, the Clippers hold the eighth seed, only one game back—and they'll meet Golden State in the season finale. That makes all six of the Warriors' remaining games absolutely vital.
Since Butler's debut, the Warriors have posted a 20-4 record—the best mark in the Western Conference during that span—while ranking inside the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They're riding the momentum of back-to-back signature wins, with three more critical matchups left that could heavily influence playoff seeding. A finish as high as third in the West is still within reach.
Regardless of how they enter the postseason, the on-court chemistry between Steve Kerr’s revamped big three—Curry, Green, and Butler—stands out as a potential game-changer. That connection could end up being the deciding factor for Golden State in any hard-fought playoff battle.
