Davin McFarland
The Golden State Warriors suffered a frustrating 130-124 loss to the Chicago Bulls, extending a concerning stretch of poor play. Just last week, Golden State celebrated a major victory over the Houston Rockets.
Now, the optimism surrounding the Warriors has quickly faded after consecutive losses to the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls — two teams struggling to stay competitive this season.
Porzingis returns but still a huge void without Curry
The biggest update from the loss was the return of Kristaps Porzingis. Playing under a minute restriction, Porzingis finished with 15 points through three quarters as he continued to work his way back to rhythm.
His presence adds a completely different dimension to the Warriors’ offense, especially with Stephen Curry still sidelined. Until Curry returns, Golden State’s offense should revolve around Porzingis’ versatility—using his post scoring, pick-and-pop ability, and floor spacing to stabilize an offense that has often lacked direction without its star guard.
Curry’s upcoming reevaluation is crucial for the rest of the season. Without him, Golden State has struggled to maintain a consistent offensive flow and establish an identity beyond being underdogs with low expectations.
His eventual return would instantly boost the Warriors’ ceiling.
Warriors must secure the 8th seed
The bigger concern is the standings. Golden State now seems headed for a tough play-in route, which could require two road wins to make the playoffs.
That path would likely lead to a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.
The Warriors’ best chance to make a run is securing the eighth seed to face the Phoenix Suns in the play-in game, beating them, and then facing the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs.
Golden State would be delighted to face the Spurs in the playoffs
Ironically, San Antonio might be the more favorable matchup. Earlier this season, Curry scored 48 and 49 points in back-to-back games against the Spurs, exposing the weaknesses of their young roster.
For that to happen, Curry needs to get back sooner rather than later in hopes of winning more games down the stretch of this season.
