When Jimmy Butler landed in the Bay, the buzz was real. But fast-forward to now, and the Warriors are sweating it out. Their playoff spot? Far from guaranteed. After dropping a brutal one to the Spurs, Steve Kerr’s Warriors are sitting at 47-33, clinging to the seventh seed. The Grizzlies are just barely ahead at 47-32, and with two games left, there’s no room to slip.
Three teams in the West—the Thunder, Rockets, and Lakers—have already punched their playoff tickets. But the rest? It’s chaos. The Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Wolves, and Grizzlies are packed within 1.5 games, fighting for the last three guaranteed slots. It’s gonna come down to the wire on Sunday night.
Now, the Play-In isn’t a death sentence. Some teams have thrived through it. Steve Kerr acknowledged that when speaking to Willard & Dibs:
“We want the week off, but we’re also well aware that there’s plenty of ways to get through this stuff. You don’t even know how matchups are going to play into this, who you’ll play, how it will play out. I know the Lakers made the Conference Finals two years ago through the Play-In. It’s not like it’s a death sentence to go to the Play-In. But there’s no doubt you’d rather avoid it just to not have to deal with the extra game or two, but also the stress in having to get through those games.”
Mar 8, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr watches the action during a game against the Detroit Pistons in the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
And he’s not wrong. In 2023, the Miami Heat clawed their way through the Play-In as the 8-seed, beat the Bucks, and didn’t stop until the NBA Finals. So yeah, it’s doable — but for an older squad like Golden State, with 37-year-old Steph and 35-year-old Butler, the fewer miles, the better. The regular season wraps up on April 13, and there’s no breathing room. Play-In kicks off April 15. Playoffs start April 19. That’s a tight turnaround.
And Brian Windhorst didn’t sugarcoat it—he thinks the Warriors just aren’t built for a deep playoff grind. Speaking on First Take, he pointed out that while the West is wide open, Golden State’s flaws make them vulnerable. “Clearly, the Warriors are flawed, look what happened last night,” he said after their brutal loss to the Spurs.
Their plan? Going small, with Draymond Green holding it down against bigger bodies. Windhorst called it “energy-zapping,” saying it puts too much on Green’s plate. Rookie Quinten Post has shown flashes, but can he hang in a tight seven-game series?
The Dubs face Portland and the Clippers to close the regular season. They need both wins. No slips. Otherwise, it’s Play-In time.
That pressure? It’s not just on players anymore. Coaches are catching heat just as fast, and Steve Kerr sees why.
Steve Kerr reveals the reason why no has a secure job in the NBA
Before Tuesday’s 133–95 beatdown of the Suns, Steve Kerr got asked about Michael Malone’s surprise firing in Denver. The guy coached the Nuggets for a decade, delivered them a championship in 2023—and still got shown the door. Their GM Calvin Booth? Also out. No contract renewal. Wild, right?
But Kerr didn’t flinch. He’s seen this movie before. Sacramento booted Mike Brown barely 30 games into the season—right after handing him $30 million. The Grizzlies axed Taylor Jenkins too, despite his long tenure.
So what gives?
Kerr has a theory: the billionaires. “Most teams are now owned by billionaires, big corporations,” he told reporters. “So, we’re all more expendable…” Honestly? Makes sense.
Feb 5, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr meet after the game at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
The NBA’s become a business empire. You mess up? A rich owner will just cut a check and move on. Kerr said it straight—bigger salaries come with shorter leashes. Monty Williams’ case is the craziest. Detroit handed him $78.5 million. He lasted a year, lost 28 games straight, and walked away with $65 million still owed. That’s sitcom-level absurd.
But these owners won’t blink. Kroenke, Pera, Lacob—net worths in the billions. To them, paying a fired coach is just another invoice.
Malone and Jenkins also had tension with their front offices. That didn’t help.
Kerr’s got it good, though. Strong support, great roster, and a fresh $35 million extension. Still, even he’s not banking on forever. “Who knows how long that lasts?”
In today’s NBA, job security’s just another myth—even for the winners.
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