Warriors forward Jimmy Butler calls out the defense in the second half in a 106-96 loss to the Houston Rockets at Chase Center on Sunday.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
The NBA’s schedule Monday night did not involve the Golden State Warriors — or any of the Western Conference teams with which they’re tied for playoff positioning.
The Warriors return to play Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns in their penultimate road game of 2024-25 as winners of 21 of 27 games since debuting Jimmy Butler. Their likelihood of avoiding the play-in tournament in favor of a seven-game series is 58.7%, according to Basketball Reference’s playoff predictor.
“We didn’t really execute how we wanted to tonight, but that’s how the NBA goes. You’ve got to move on. The ship hasn’t sunk,” guard Buddy Hield said Sunday after the Houston Rockets snapped Golden State’s five-game win streak.
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“Four more games left,” Hield added, referencing additional matchups with the San Antonio Spurs (Wednesday), Portland Trail Blazers (Friday) and Los Angeles Clippers (Sunday). “Take one game at a time, and win them all, we’ll be fine.”
Here are four things to watch as four games remain in the regular season:
Podziemski’s secondary scoring: Second-year combo guard Brandin Podziemski has found his scoring rhythm for the Warriors, averaging 15.1 points on 46.2% shooting, including 41.5% from 3-point range, since Feb. 8. His scoring output is third among Warriors in 27 games they’ve played with Butler, whose scoring average of 17.2 is second to Curry’s 27.5.
In five games last week — during which the Warriors went 4-1, beating three Western Conference postseason contenders — Podziemski averaged 21.8 points on 57.5% 3-point shooting, thrice eclipsing the 20-point plateau.
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He’s beating closeouts with pull-up mid-range jumpers, cutting for layups and attacking the basket — often slowing his footwork for finesse finishes.
“Just taking another step,” Podziemski told reporters Friday after totaling 26 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals in a victory over the Denver Nuggets. “I want to be a three-level scorer, obviously. Not just limiting my game to the rim and threes. Having an in-between game — whether that be off the ball screen, late shot clock, whatever that may be.”
Kuminga’s two-way play: Matchups may dictate the workload for Jonathan Kuminga, a forceful fourth-year combo forward whose speed, explosion and length on the wing are vital for Golden State’s postseason potential.
Against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, he switched defensively across the perimeter — guarding LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves — and attacked in flow with purpose and power en route to 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists while playing to a team-high plus-9. Against the Nuggets, he successfully moonlighted atop a box-and-one defense opposite Nikola Jokic.
Versus the Rockets — against whom he scored 23 and 33 in victories this season when Curry didn’t play — he held opponents to 1-of-5 shooting, again winning his minutes by a team-high nine.
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Since returning from the right ankle sprain that cost him 31 games midseason, Kuminga has averaged 12.6 points (44.5% shooting, 18.5% 3-point shooting), 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists while adjusting to playing for the Warriors with Butler.
“Every good thing takes time,” Kuminga said Thursday postgame. “I hope this was the beginning of everything. You never know how the days will go. But what we just did out there, all of us collectively, it felt good. It felt good.”
Ball security … or lack thereof: The Warriors committed 20 turnovers Sunday, prompting Butler to note postgame, “A lot of the times when we turn the ball over that many times, it doesn’t end well for our group. We talked about not turning the ball over and did the exact opposite and this is the outcome.”
The Warriors are 25th leaguewide in turnovers per game in 15 games since March 8, averaging 15.1 giveaways per game — the most among teams pegged for postseason play. From Feb. 8 to March 8 — Butler’s first month with Golden State — the Warriors were eighth (13.2) in turnovers per game.
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“I think if we take care of the ball and we care about every possession like we should, then it may be a different outcome. That’s not the case, so all the ifs can stay where they are,” Butler added.
The schedule, games and standings: Head coach Steve Kerr has long monitored the Western Conference standings and schedule, and what he saw Monday was Golden State (46-32) mired in a four-way tie with the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies.
The Nuggets (47-32) are also tied with the foursome in losses amid their four-game skid.
What a week this is shaping up to be.
Depending on how the five teams finish, the Warriors could rise to third-place or fall to eighth and thus the play-in tournament. The Grizzles, Timberwolves and Clippers also play Tuesday while the Nuggets and Clippers also play Wednesday.
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When the Warriors are idle Thursday night, Minnesota and Memphis wage a high-stakes battle. All 30 teams play Friday — including the Grizzlies versus the Nuggets — and Sunday.
Then it’s time for postseason play.
“I’ve always been one to think that whatever squad that I’m on, that I have a chance,” Butler said. “I know whatever squad 30 (Curry) is on, whatever squad 23 (Green) is on, always got a chance. So, I’d only like to think that all three of us together have a really good chance.
“We want to not be in the play-in. We’re playing to not be in the play-in and we’re going to win the last four. So, that’s that. But we’ve got a job to do anyway, and that’s to win a championship — no matter what seed we are.”
Reach Sam Gordon: [email protected]
