Sunday night turned into a wild ride for Steve Kerr’s Warriors. They started in fifth place, briefly jumped into fourth, and by the time everything wrapped up, they’d slid all the way to sixth—tied up with three other teams in a Western Conference traffic jam. And now? Things are about to get even messier. Golden State’s staring down a brutal week: four games in seven days. No one really knows how this ends, but one thing’s clear—it’s gonna be chaos.

Steve Kerr didn’t even try to pretend otherwise. “We win our last four, we’re in. No play-in,” he said. Simple math, sure, but the rest? Completely up in the air. “We might get some help, but can’t count on it,” he added. “All we can do is handle what’s next.”

Honestly, they’ve earned this shot. Six weeks ago, it looked like they were toast. But they’ve fought their way back into the thick of it—gritty wins, tough losses, all of it. But a loss against the Rockets on Sunday just made things juicier.

Denver and Golden State both took Ls, and suddenly, we’ve got a four-way tie. Yep, the Warriors, Wolves, Clippers, and Grizzlies are all sitting on the same record heading into Monday. That’s not a logjam, that’s an NBA traffic pileup.

And guess who capitalized? The Lakers. They handled business in OKC and jumped 1.5 games ahead of the Clippers, sliding into fifth. With the Thunder already locking up the top seed, Tuesday’s rematch is basically a free shot for LA. If they take care of Dallas and Portland, too, Friday’s clash with Houston might not even matter for playoff positioning.

Meanwhile, the Clippers and Grizzlies are expected to handle San Antonio and Charlotte on Tuesday, so all eyes shift to the Warriors. They’ve got a rough back-to-back—Phoenix on the road, then Milwaukee. That’s a brutal stretch for any team, let alone one in the middle of a dogfight for seeding.

Denver gets a breather until Wednesday when they face the Kings, but make no mistake, the fourth to eighth spots are gonna be a revolving door all week. Sunday’s finale? Everyone tips off at the same time. It’s the NBA’s version of chaos hour. Golden State’s got tiebreakers over the Wolves and Grizzlies. But the Lakers, Nuggets, and Clippers? They’ve got the edge over Steph’s crew.

No wonder Kerr looked exhausted. After that loss, he basically said, “Win out and we dodge the play-in.” But even he knows this week’s a coin toss. And after laying it all out, he did the most relatable thing possible: “I’m gonna go home and watch The White Lotus.” Honestly? Mood!

Now, even with all the chaos swirling around the standings, Kerr hasn’t lost sight of what makes his team tick.

Steve Kerr hasn’t changed his tactics in a decade

Before the Warriors even took the floor against the Rockets, Steve Kerr made one thing crystal clear—he’s not ditching his pass-first mindset anytime soon.

“I just think passing is everything,” he said, staying true to the blueprint that built a dynasty. Kerr’s never cared for iso-heavy ball. He wants five guys moving, thinking, and reacting—because that’s how you win rings. Simple as that.

Since Jimmy Butler arrived, the Warriors have topped the league in both passes per game (336.8) and assist percentage (72.9%). Their offense? Ranked fourth since February 8. Butler’s isolations bend defenses, and the rest of the squad? They space out and keep it humming. “We’re not running a ton of sets,” Kerr admitted. “But we’re still passing the ball beautifully.”

That motion-heavy style isn’t new—it’s just been supercharged. Kerr shouted out Warriors alumni like Livingston, Iguodala, and West, who thrived with feel and quick decisions. “All those guys could pass,” he said. “And we instantly became a better passing team with Jimmy.”

Guys like Brandin Podziemski, GP2, and Kevon Looney keep the ball moving, while scorers like Kuminga and Hield eat off those looks. “That’s how Steph gets open,” Kerr added. “That’s how we unlock everything.”

When it comes to closing time, four spots are set—Curry, Butler, Draymond, and Podziemski. The fifth? Depends on the night.

One last thing: the whole squad was healthy. In April? That’s rare air. And if they shrug this loss and keep passing like this, they might just pass their way into a deep playoff run.