The truth is that title contenders really should beat the Houston Rockets, depletewd Minnesota Timberwolves and short-handed Portland Trail Blazers in consecutive games. Considering the Golden State Warriors' struggles throughout 2022-23, though, a three-game winning streak at the beginning of the season's critical stretch run is indeed cause for optimism.
After the Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson and the Warriors cooled off Damian Lillard and the Blazers 123-105 on Tuesday night at Chase Center, Steve Kerr expressed real confidence his long inconsistent team was finally turning the corner—just in time for the highly anticipated returns of Steph Curry and other sidelined impact players.
Tuesday's game was a tale of two halves for both the Warriors and Damian Lillard. @armstrongwinter checks in with film-heavy reactions from the Dubs' third straight win.https://t.co/mUGCT6ZYNf
— Warriors Nation (@WarriorNationCP) March 1, 2023
“It just feels like we're coming together. It feels like there's some chemistry, some energy that's forming. We've been battling all season and without Steph and [Andrew Wiggins] for so much of the season, these guys have one a great job just keeping our heads above water,” he said. “I think we can feel the finish line. We know Steph's gonna be back before too long, hopefully Wiggs, hopefully Gary [Payton II]. So we got reinforcements coming, and in the meantime these guys are doing a hell of a job. It feels like there's some grit and some toughness, and the guys are really coming together. It's fun to watch.”
The Warriors' comeback romp over Portland moves them to 32-30 on the season, fifth in a tightly packed Western Conference. The defending champions are just one game behind the fourth-place Phoenix Suns, too, with two more home games to come before heading on the road.
An update on Curry—who's been getting in on-court work at practice of late— s expected on Wednesday. Wiggins has already missed over two weeks due to a personal matter. Payton's return is further off, but still potentially on the horizon of April.
Has Golden State righted the ship? It's too early to say for sure given the lacking quality of the Dubs' recent competition. Any semblance of real momentum is absolutely crucial during the sprint toward the regular-season finish line, though, and the Warriors suddenly have it in spades.
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