Winning on Sunday at San Antonio would strengthen the Warriors’ collective heartbeat. Losing surely would haunt them.
The Spurs (31-42) represent the last of five consecutive games against sub-.500 opponents, and by splitting the first four the Warriors (42-31) compromised their chances of a guaranteed playoff berth.
Of Golden State’s nine remaining games, San Antonio is one of only two opponents projected to finish in the bottom five in the West. Which makes this ripe for victory. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 3 p.m. with “Warriors Pregame Live,” with tipoff from Frost Bank Center scheduled for 4:05.
The Warriors are heavy favorites, but they have several areas in need of improvement. Stephen Curry, who returned Friday after a two-game absence, can address the struggling offense. And he knows there won’t be many more opportunities to face longtime nemesis Chris Paul.
Paul, who turns 40 in May, has started every game and is having his healthiest season since 2014-15, when he played all 82 for the Clippers. With De’Aaron Fox (finger surgery) out for the season, CP3 – who has recorded 10 or more assists in 14 games – is sharing playmaking duties with impressive rookie Stephon Castle.
Curry, 37, is trying to restore his efficiency. After a 12-game stretch in which he shot 51.3 percent from the field, including 43.8 percent beyond the arc, his accuracy has tumbled to 39.1 and 32.9 percent over his last seven.
As he has struggled, so has Golden State’s offense. Only once in the last five games have the Warriors shot above 43 percent from the field. They were at 23.7 percent from deep Tuesday at Miami and 23.6 percent Friday at New Orleans.
That led to postgame discussion in the locker room, Curry told reporters after the comeback in at New Orleans.
“As a team, we haven’t shot the ball well,” he said. “But we’re creating decent looks. So, can’t get down on yourself. You can’t start overthinking. And if you can continue to create those shots, keep shooting them. That’s what we talked about.”
The Spurs have been a bottom-10 defense all season, and it has gotten worse without center Victor Wembanyama, who is out for the season after being diagnosed with a deep-vein thrombosis during the All-Star break.
What awaits Golden State after San Antonio is the most daunting stretch of the season: at Memphis, at the Lakers, home against the Nuggets and Rockets.
This is a TCB game for Curry and the Warriors. Take Care of Business.
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