The Golden State Warriors hope to conclude what was considered to be the most favorable portion of their schedule with at least a winning record when they host the Orlando Magic on Monday night.
Golden State was 20-20 and looking to make a move up the crowded Western Conference standings when, on Jan. 18, they embarked on a nine-game stretch in which they’d never leave the state of California. In fact, eight of the nine contests were at home.
So far, wins over the Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder have been balanced by losses to the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.
With 12 of their next 14 on the road after the Magic visit, the Warriors remain a .500 team and now find themselves closer to the worst record in the West than to the best.
As they enter the final four days before the trade deadline, observers might be wondering: Would a loss to the Magic, capping a very disappointing 4-5 stretch, make them sellers?
Warriors coach Steve Kerr made one thing clear even before Friday’s 130-105 home thumping dealt them by the Suns: His bosses need to do something.
“We’re not in a position where we can just say: âWe’re good. Let’s stand pat.’ That’s the reality of where we are,” he admitted. “If there’s something that makes sense, (general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. is) going to do it.”
In their first meeting with the Magic this season, the Warriors will be seeing basically their Eastern equivalent. Orlando’s record is slightly worse at 24-26, but its position in the standings is slightly better with the East having fewer winning teams.
Unlike Golden State, the Magic find themselves in the heart of their most difficult sequence of games this season. This will be their fourth stop on a six-game trip, but with the oasis of seeing 10 of 11 at home in their near-future.
While falling at Miami, Portland and Utah in the past week, the Magic have gotten encouragement from the continued good health of star Paolo Banchero, who missed 34 games with a torn right oblique.
He has played 11 straight games, enduring as many as 44 minutes in last Monday’s loss at Miami, and now has gone five in row alongside talented sidekick Franz Wagner, who missed 20 in a row with his own oblique injury.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley realizes the remaining three games on the team’s Western trip are about gaining some momentum for the home-heavy slate ahead.
“We always talked about: Are you playing your best basketball in March and April? That’s what we’re working toward,” Mosley said. “But understanding you are not going to be there right away. It’s going to take some time. But are you progressing there? That’s most important.”
The clubs will meet in a rematch in Orlando later this month. In each of the last two seasons, the team that won the first meeting went on to complete a two-game sweep.
