Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics: Game Highlights (1:09)Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics: Game Highlights (1:09)
Anthony SlaterMar 18, 2026, 11:42 PM ETMultiple Authors
BOSTON — After his team lost for the sixth time in the past seven games, Golden State coach Steve Kerr laid bare the cold reality the Warriors have been facing for weeks as they hobble toward the regular-season finish line.
“Can we prepare ourselves for the play-in [tournament]?” Kerr asked. “We’re going to be in the play-in. We know that.”
Wednesday night’s 120-99 road loss to the Celtics pushed the Warriors to 10th in the Western Conference standings, a half-game behind the Portland Trail Blazers. There’s no threat behind them; all five of the teams outside the West playoff picture are at least nine games back with 13 left.
Golden State is now 33-36, 8.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets (and a top-six guaranteed playoff spot) and six games away from the seventh-seeded Phoenix Suns.
“We’ve had our eyes on six for a while,” Kerr said. “That’s out of the question now. We’re not getting there. If we can string together some wins, try to get to eighth, that’d be ideal. Get two cracks at [getting in the playoffs]. But we’re not getting to seven. We know that.”
The Warriors were 27-22 on the night Curry called out of a loss to Detroit because of his troublesome right knee. They’ve gone 6-13 since.
“We have to be prepared for when we get guys back, when Steph’s back, when Moses [Moody] and Al [Horford] are back,” Kerr said. “If we’re prepared when they get back, we can do some damage and go on a run. But we can’t have game-plan mistakes, we’ve got to build better habits, box out, take care of the ball in transition.”
The LA Clippers, currently eighth, have lost three consecutive games, leaving the door cracked. The Warriors are one game back and face the Clippers on the last day of the regular season.
But that’s still nearly four weeks away. In the meantime, Kerr is asking for the team to build better habits ahead of Curry’s return, but its ultimate fate is essentially determined.
“We know it doesn’t matter if we win 13 games or we lose 13 games,” forward Gui Santos said. “We’re going to be playing [in the play-in].”
Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics: Game Highlights (1:09)Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics: Game Highlights (1:09)
So there is no more room for the Warriors to fall. But there’s also not much ability to climb.
Through this turbulent patch, there are signs of slight optimism.
Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics: Game Highlights (1:09)
Anthony SlaterMar 18, 2026, 11:42 PM ETMultiple Authors