Skip to main content

SIT DOWN, DUB NATION: Steve Kerr Gives Blunt Reality Check on Warriors’ Playoff Push With Just 22 Games Left

Golden State Warriors fans, affectionately known as Dub Nation, entered this season with sky-high hopes after last year’s dramatic late surge that fueled dreams of another championship run. But halfway through the NBA campaign, reality is hitting hard: the Warriors are barely clinging to playoff contention, and head coach Steve Kerr isn’t sugarcoating the dire situation.

The latest blow came in a lopsided defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers, where the Warriors fell 101-129. Stephen Curry, the team’s heartbeat, has been hampered by nagging knee issues, making an already tough matchup feel insurmountable. The performance was uninspired, and post-game, the murmurs about the team’s fading postseason prospects grew louder. With only 22 games remaining in the regular season, Kerr delivered a sobering assessment that should temper any lingering optimism.

“It’s a lot to make up with 22 games left. We don’t even talk about it. It’s not anything that is worth discussing because we just have to try to go out and win and see what happens,” Kerr stated bluntly in his media interaction following the loss.

Currently sitting eighth in the Western Conference with a 31-29 record, the Warriors face an uphill battle to climb into the top six and avoid the play-in tournament. A sixth seed would require a near-miraculous turnaround, but recent setbacks have only compounded their troubles. The team’s pursuit of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo collapsed, leaving a void in their roster ambitions and further dimming their outlook.

Adding to the chaos is the ongoing saga surrounding Kristaps Porzingis, whose health has been a point of contention since his trade from the Atlanta Hawks. Porzingis has missed significant time—14 games with the Hawks—due to what was reported as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). However, Kerr revealed that this diagnosis might be off-base, based on a conversation with a trusted source.

“When I heard about the trade, I read about his POTS diagnosis and then called Onsi Saleh, who was with us—he’s now Atlanta’s GM and he’s a good friend of mine. I called him and I said, ‘Is this POTS story real?’ And he said it’s actually not POTS. It was not POTS. So that was some misinformation that was out there,” Kerr explained.

This clarification sheds light on Porzingis’ absences but doesn’t solve the Warriors’ broader issues. The team appears to be staring down the barrel, with injuries, inconsistencies, and failed trade pursuits painting a bleak picture. Fans have long relied on Curry’s magic to spark comebacks, but even a fully healthy Splash Brother might not be enough to salvage this season.

Dub Nation, it’s time to face the facts: the Warriors’ playoff push is on life support, and without a seismic shift, this could be the end of the road for their championship aspirations this year. Kerr’s words serve as a stark reminder—focus on the wins, but don’t hold your breath for miracles.