The Western Conference playoff race will be a battle until the end. So much can happen when the regular season wraps up, and the Golden State Warriors are in the thick of it.
The Warriors have rebounded well after their season collapsed mid-season. Since the Jimmy Butler trade, their playoff hopes are alive and well again, but they could finish anywhere in the playoff standings, including the play-in.
Warriors Fans Want Another LeBron James Rematch
After the Memphis Grizzlies lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves, The Athletic’s Anthony Randolph revealed where the Warriors could go from here on his X account.
“After the Memphis loss, the Warriors control their own destiny again for a playoff spot. Win the final two (at Blazers, vs Clippers) and they’ll be at least the sixth seed. Could also climb above Clippers if they lose to Kings tomorrow (and Nuggets if they go 0-2),” Slater wrote.
After that, Warriors fans responded by begging the team to face LeBron James again. One fan named Akash Elangovan kept it simple, writing, “SWEEP LEBRON AGAIN PLS.”
Another fan named “Depressed Warriors Fan” predicted that it will all end with a series between the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, writing, “We’re gonna be 6th and face the Lakers in round 1. gonna be a crazy series.”
Now, other Warriors fans may not necessarily want to go up against James. Instead, they don’t want to fight for a playoff spot like last year. One fan named RJ made a simple request to the Warriors, writing, “Just win out and stay out of the f***ing play-in.”
This likely stems from how things went down last year. The Warriors did not make it out of the play-in the last time they were there. The Sacramento Kings eliminated them, though at the time, the Warriors did not have homecourt advantage.
Different Circumstances This Year For Golden State
If they were in the play-in again, the Warriors would have homecourt advantage for at least one game. Golden State has been impressive enough following the NBA trade deadline that they can likely persevere no matter where they finish, but knowing how old their three best players are—Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler—they should take every opportunity to conserve themselves.
It would also make for quite the matchup to see the Warriors go up against James, and not just because it would be round six between him and Curry, but because the Warriors may also see it as an opportunity to avenge their playoff elimination at the hands of the Lakers in 2023.
This is all banking on the fact that the Lakers will finish with the No. 3 seed, which isn’t set in stone yet. If the Lakers lose their last two games, they would be in jeopardy of losing that seed.
However, no matter what happens, it’s clear that the Warriors want another shot at James and for good reason too.