Since going on a seven-game win streak, the Golden State Warriors were just where they wanted to be. They managed to reach the sixth seed—a guaranteed spot to qualify for the playoffs. There was just one worry. The Minnesota Timberwolves are on their backs waiting for a lip. That also means if the Wolves fall, the Warriors could shut down their hopes for direct qualification. Tonight, that’s the chance they had.

Obi Toppin sent the Pacers to an overtime victory against the Anthony Edwards-led Timberwolves. This opened a prime chance for the Warriors to safeguard their sixth seed. They played the Denver Nuggets, who rested both Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray from the contest. But what followed was unexpected.

The Warriors fell flat against the short-handed Nuggets team. Aaron Gordon punished them with 38 points and 6 rebounds. It was only fitting that Russell Westbrook would get a triple-double in the absence of Jokic. The former MVP connected with his teammates on 16 occasions, making up for the Joker’s passing prowess.

Both sides made their fair share of mistakes. Turnovers have been the Warriors’ Achilles’ heel for years, and this latest loss to the Nuggets was just another chapter in the same frustrating story. Golden State coughed up the ball 20 times, seven of which came from Stephen Curry tonight. And as Kerr has said time and time again, “You got to be rock solid with the ball.” That phrase? It’s practically a mantra for him at this point.

Back in October 2021, after a loss to the Grizzlies where the Warriors coughed up the ball 23 times, Kerr didn’t hold back: “We had a great first quarter. The ball was moving. And then we just got a little crazy out there.” He pointed out how many of those giveaways were self-inflicted—something that has remained true to this day.

Fast forward to December 2022, and the problem was still haunting them. After another costly loss, this time vs Utah, Kerr was frustrated at how a game they had controlled slipped away: “You got to close it. You got to be rock solid with the ball. You got to be smart defensively. And we were neither of those things.” Sound familiar?

By February 2023, the pattern was undeniable. In a loss to the Timberwolves, the Warriors let a late lead evaporate because of—you guessed it—turnovers. “I thought we had control of the game and then I thought we just kind of gift-wrapped it,” Kerr admitted. That night, the Timberwolves turned Golden State’s 17 turnovers into 24 points, a painful reminder of just how costly this flaw can be.

The Dubs came into the game fully healthy and with a chance to put the playoff standings to bed. But now that they didn’t, the race is just as close as before.

It’s still anyone’s game with a slight Warriors advantage

Both the Minnesota Timberwolves who had won eight and the Warriors who had won seven straight got their win streaks broken just hours from one another. It’s just that for the Wolves, that meant they had another chance. With a 40-30 record, Minnesota has played three games more than the Bay.

And what they need is for the Dubs to drop games and give them an opening. Say over the next three games, the Warriors lose two games, their records will be tied with the Timberwolves. If Anthony Edwards leads them to another win streak, the Golden State will be picking up the pieces then.

But here’s where it gets more complicated. The Los Angeles Clippers are also fully healthy and only two wins from equalling the Wolves’ record. Hence, if they win the following two games, the race for the sixth seed could become a three-teamed showdown.

Nonetheless, one loss shouldn’t set off panic for the Warriors. From the time of adding Jimmy Butler, Steve Kerr has executed his tactics seamlessly. Furthermore, his natural fit has led to immediate improvements. Since it’s them that hold the cards still, it’s vital for GSW to move on from this loss as soon as possible.

With only a few games remaining, there’s just one priority in the West for teams ranked below the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have to keep winning games. The equation doesn’t change for Anthony Edwards or Stephen Curry. Because if both of them let it slip, somebody is always lingering around in the Western Conference.