Warriors Coach Kerr Accepts Play-In Tournament Fate With 13 Games Left

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has acknowledged his team will participate in the NBA's play-in tournament after falling 8.5 games behind the sixth playoff seed. With Stephen Curry still recovering from a knee injury, the Warriors have dropped eight of their last ten games and now sit in tenth place in the Western Conference.

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr has accepted the mathematical reality facing his team. The Warriors are destined for the NBA’s play-in tournament.

With just 13 regular season contests remaining, Golden State finds themselves trailing the sixth-place Western Conference position by 8.5 games following Wednesday’s defeat in Boston — another contest that saw Stephen Curry sidelined due to ongoing knee problems.

However, the Warriors maintain an 8.5-game cushion over the 11th-place team. While there’s still a technical possibility Golden State could fall outside the play-in tournament bracket — reserved for teams placing seventh through tenth in each conference — Kerr understands this scenario is unrealistic.

“What I’m most interested in right now is can we prepare ourselves for the play-in,” Kerr stated following Wednesday’s 120-99 defeat. “We’re going to be in the play-in. We know that — one way or the other. So, we’ve got to prepare.”

The regular season concludes April 12, with the top six teams in each conference earning automatic playoff berths. Teams finishing 11th through 15th face elimination.

The remaining clubs enter the play-in tournament, scheduled from April 14-17. This format debuted in a limited form during the 2020 bubble season, with the current structure implemented in 2021.

The tournament operates identically in both conferences: The seventh seed hosts the eighth seed in the opening round, while the ninth seed welcomes the tenth seed. The 7-8 winner advances to face the second seed in the first playoff round. The 7-8 loser hosts the 9-10 winner for the final playoff spot against the top seed. Both losing teams are eliminated.

“We’ve had our eyes on (the No. 6 seed) for a while. And that’s out of the question now,” Kerr explained. “I mean, we’re not getting there. And so, if we can string together some wins, try to get to eight, that’d be ideal. Get two cracks at it. We’re not getting to seven. We know that.”

Golden State has occupied the play-in territory for most of this campaign, maintaining the eighth position almost continuously from mid-November through March. Their recent struggles — losing eight of ten games — have dropped them to tenth in the Western standings.

Curry remains with the team during their current road swing, participating in workouts and shooting sessions as his knee condition improves from recent weeks. Team officials plan to provide a status update Saturday before their Atlanta matchup.

This development suggests Curry might return against the Hawks. “He may or may not have already had a little contact,” Kerr hinted.

While the Warriors won’t see Jimmy Butler return this season due to his January ACL tear, they anticipate getting Curry, Al Horford, and Moses Moody back from their respective injuries. Kerr wants Golden State prepared to peak when these players return.

“Over the last few weeks, I’ve been telling the guys we have to build our habits and be ready for when we get guys healthy again,” Kerr said. “Then we can really have the firepower that can be complemented by a foundation of good habits, good fundamentals. … Being prepared for that time is everything for us.”

As of Thursday, Phoenix, the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland, and Golden State would comprise the West’s play-in participants. While nothing is finalized, the Clippers and Trail Blazers likely share similar thinking with the Warriors, given their slim chances of reaching sixth place or dropping below tenth.

If Kerr’s prediction proves accurate, this would mark Golden State’s third straight play-in appearance and fourth overall. Phoenix has never participated, the Clippers appeared once in 2022, and Portland’s only experience came during the 2020 bubble season when just two teams competed in that round.

In the Eastern Conference, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Charlotte currently occupy the play-in positions as of Thursday. All four teams maintain significant leads over the 11th-15th place group, though reaching sixth place or higher remains mathematically feasible for these clubs.

Atlanta has reached the play-in round four consecutive seasons. Miami has participated in each of the past three seasons, while Charlotte last appeared in 2022 and Philadelphia competed in 2024.