NBA: 4 bold predictions for the stretch run (that actually make sense)

The Warriors lose a Play-In spot

The Golden State Warriors sit at 11th in the Western Conference, just one game ahead of the Jazz and Trail Blazers. The good news is that Klay Thomson is healthy and playing well. The bad news is that Stephen Curry is currently nursing a leg injury and will miss the rest of this month, and likely into March as well.

Gary Paton II, the Warriors’ only significant addition at the deadline, will not be re-evaluated until mid-March and is likely to miss a significant chunk of their remaining 24 games. The Trail Blazers and Lakers are hot on the Warrior’s tail and desperately want to get their stars into the playoffs. Golden State’s best hope is that a 34-year-old Curry returns and puts the team on his back, or that the Jazz or Thunder purposefully try to lose their playoff spots for better draft odds.

This roster, especially without Payton, has nowhere near enough depth to compete in the hyper-competitive Western Conference.