NBA Play-In: As of Tuesday, March 26, 2024, the Golden State Warriors have recorded ten wins and two losses, bringing their season win:loss ratio to 46:36. What does this mean? This puts them in the tenth spot in the Western Conference and validates them for the NBA Play-In starting Tuesday, April 16. This shocked many analysts who initially didn't see the Warriors even making it to the play-in. However, Golden State proved them all wrong. From Steph Curry’s offensive production dropoff, Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension and Klay Thompson’s lowest scoring average of his career the team has had many struggles this season. One thing that has kept their fire alive is how their defense operates as one. As Golden State goes on to play the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the play-in, an important question arises: are they well prepared to face the best teams in the NBA to win another championship?

GSW Standout Statistics: Golden State has been on a remarkable winning streak, emerging victorious in ten of their last twelve games. This impressive performance has secured them the tenth spot in the Western Conference, a testament to their recent success. While it may not be the ideal position, it's a sign of their growing momentum. With the first play-in game scheduled for April 16, 2024, Golden State is entering the playoffs with a wave of optimism and the numbers to support it. Despite his reduced playtime, Curry has been a pillar of strength for the team. His average of 26.4 points per game, just 0.4 less than his career average, is a testament to his unwavering commitment to the team and ability to deliver under pressure. Green has been fueling the team by putting up 7.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game (0.2 and 0.4 more than his career average, respectively). Although Thompson has not been starting as often with Golden State (only starting about 3⁄4 of the Warriors’s games), he’s been proving he’s still built from the same “Klay” by averaging 17.9 points per game—only 1.7 points less than his career average.

Defense to the Win: Golden State has no issue putting up points—as explained in the section above—however, as noted by Green in a press conference, their team gets picked apart when their defense begins to break down. More recently, the Warriors' defense has seen a renaissance thanks to veterans Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, and rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis. Although Golden State is normally not too talkative, the main centers have attempted to speak more to create an organized defense. This took effect starting March 26 in game two of a five-game road trip. As the Warriors prepare to take on the Sacramento Kings in the play-in, their best weapon at this point and time is to rely on their defense, and, with constant talks from their guards, that is how they plan to operate from here on out.

Sources: ESPN.com, LandOfBasketball.com, The Athletic, NBA.com, StatMuse.com, Si.com