Brian Windhorst uses just two words to paint bleak picture of Warriors’ monumental late collapse

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had just two words to describe the Golden State Warriors’ late collapse against the LA Clippers. The Warriors took on the Clippers on Sunday, their final game of the 2024-25 regular season.

Golden State needed a win to secure the sixth seed in the Western Conference and avoid the play-in tournament. Unfortunately, they lost 124-119 and now hold the seventh seed.

On Get Up’s episode from Sunday, Windhorst was asked for two words to describe Golden State’s last day of the season. He gave a candid answer, saying:

“Not ideal”

"Not ideal to see Draymond Green try to hunt a foul when you're down by two in overtime."

“Not ideal to have Jimmy Butler play 48 minutes in this game and then suffer a quad contusion.”

The Warriors were led by Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry, who combined to score 66 points. Draymond Green was also solid, recording 14 points, four assists, and three rebounds. Unfortunately, Green takes part of the blame for the Warriors' loss against LA.

Late in overtime, the Dubs trailed by two with the ball in Draymond Green’s hands. The 35-year-old drove towards the basket and tried to lay the ball in while searching for a foul, leading to a missed layup. Green could’ve tied the game if he had tried to score instead of searching for a foul.

Jimmy Butler having to play 48 minutes is another cause for concern, as he ended the game on pretty much one leg. Butler says he will play against the Grizzlies, but that depends on how he’s doing on Tuesday. Curry is already dealing with a thumb sprain, so Butler’s injury weighs significantly heading to the Play-In.

The Dubs went into Sunday’s game hoping to grab the sixth seed. Instead, they will head to the play-in tournament, possibly without two of their stars due to injuries.

The Warriors will face the Houston Rockets if they defeat the Grizzlies on Tuesday

If the Warriors win their first game of the play-in against the Grizzlies, they will make the playoffs as the seventh seed in the West. As such, they will face the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.

The Rockets finished their season second in the West and have a promising team. But their lack of playoff experience leads many to believe that they won’t be able to make it far in the playoffs. This might be true, especially if they end up facing Stephen Curry and Co., who have years of playoff and championship experience on their roster.