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Golden State Warriors: Time To Regroup

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 6, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) helps Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) to his feet during the NBA game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) helps Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) to his feet during the NBA game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors
Feb 27, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) prepares to return the game after having his ankle examined during action against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

The Challenge

Like the 24-game win streak to open the season, the quest for 73 wins has become a distraction from the ultimate goal of winning another championship. Unlike that Bucks loss that allowed the Dubs to refocus on their season, Sunday’s defeat is only going to amplify the noise of a storyline that would normally come second to repeating as NBA champs.

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Unfortunately for the Warriors, those aspirations of reaching the 73-win mark may have become intrinsically tied in with their goals of securing home-court advantage through the playoffs and, ultimately, winning the 2016 NBA Finals.

With potential playoff seeding on the line in upcoming head-to-heads with the Spurs, Sunday’s loss has changed the conversation. That humiliating Lakers defeat not only serves as a wakeup call for the way the Dubs have performed since the All-Star Break, but a reminder that they can’t afford slip-ups with the Spurs breathing down their necks.

Though many will rightfully wonder if the Golden State Warriors can complete this historic regular season campaign and reach the 73-win threshold, the best way for the Dubs to regroup and drown out the noise might come from realizing that if they don’t, they could be looking at a road series against an experienced and deadly Spurs machine in the Western Conference Finals.

More hoops habit: NBA: 20 Players Turning Their Seasons Around

For most teams, aspiring to be the greatest team in NBA history would come at the cost of prioritizing the ultimate goal of winning a championship. For the Warriors, the quest to win 73 games, the pressure to win another title and the challenge to cement themselves as the greatest team in NBA history are beginning to go hand-in-hand — for better or for worse.

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