Golden State Warriors Face Daunting Schedule In March
OAKLAND (CBS SF) – The term 'March Madness' is used most often to describe college basketball's post-season hoops feast, but it may also apply this year to the Golden State Warriors schedule over the next three weeks.
At least that sums of the feeling of head coach Steve Kerr.
After Thursday's night slugfest win over the Clippers and a Saturday night contest against the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State truly becomes road warriors.
"We have the most insane schedule I've even seen in all my years in the NBA," Kerr said. "A five-game trip back east, come home for one, fly to Minnesota and then have a back-to-back in San Antonio. Here you go, Golden State, here's your marquee game against the Spurs on a Saturday night on ABC and it'll be your eighth game in (13) days with 10,000 miles — like, it's insane."
Kerr said the impact of the schedule would be shuffling his lineup and adjusting players' time on the court to try to keep them from burning out for the playoffs.
"So I've got to be very, very careful about our players' welfare and make sure they're fresh and not too fatigued, because we know that can lead to injury," he said.
One factor in the Warriors favor may be their ability to use one quarter to break an opposing team's spirit.
On Thursday night, Golden State used a 50-point third quarter to erase a Clippers lead and for all intents put the game away.
It marked the 17th time Golden State has had a 40-point or more quarter the season. That marks leads the NBA by a wide margin and is already three better than they had all last season.
The Warriors are also the league's best road team with a 23-6 record, are 8-2 against the East on the road and have not lost back-to-back games in 143 games – an on-going NBA record.