Watchability Rankings: Warriors' pursuit of 72–10 will rule the day
SI.com's Watchability Rankings will give you the lowdown on the must-see games for the week ahead. Here are the top five games to watch for the week ending April 2. All stats are records through March 24.
After losing at San Antonio last weekend, Golden State won its next two games and now only needs to finish 9–2 to break the '96 Bulls' regular season record. The Warriors appear twice in next week's NBA watchability rankings, along with the rest of the top-four teams in each conference.
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Sunday, March 27: Golden State Warriors vs. Philadelphia 76ers
This matchup could be described in so many words. But one word that doesn't apply, at least on paper, is competitive. Their records are nearly the inverse of each other entering the weekend, with the Warriors at 64–7 and the Sixers at 9–63. Golden State won the first meeting by just three points in Philadelphia, however, and the final Warriors-76ers game of the season has a fascinating underlying question: Will Golden State win more games in the regular season than Philadelphia loses?
Thursday, March 31: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. L.A. Clippers
The Thunder and Clippers have alternated wins and losses in their first three meetings this season, with Oklahoma City leading the series 2–1, and they'll meet one final time on Thursday at the Staples Center. If the current Western Conference standings hold, the only way for L.A. and Oklahoma City to meet in the playoffs is if they dethrone Golden State and San Antonio to meet in the conference finals.
Friday, April 1: Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Hawks haven't ran through the East like they did last season, but they're still in fourth place in the conference. After getting swept by Cleveland in the conference finals last season, Atlanta is in line for a potential matchup against the Cavaliers again this year. Given the way this year's schedule broke, these two teams have played just once this season—Cleveland won 109–97 in November—and Friday night's matchup will be Cleveland's only time playing in Atlanta during the regular season.
Friday, April 1: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics
When Golden State traveled to Boston in early December to play the Celtics, the Warriors needed two overtime periods to escape TD Garden with a 124–119 win and a perfect 24–0 start to the season. Boston makes the trip to Golden State in hopes of adding a tally to the Warriors' loss column after nearly ending their winning streak earlier in the season.
Saturday, April 2: San Antonio Spurs vs. Toronto Raptors
The Western Conference's second-place team plays host to the Eastern Conference's second-place team in the final month of the regular season. The Spurs and Raptors are on the heels of the Warriors and Cavaliers, respectively, for the top spot in the conference, but there's little room for error and no time to waste in their pursuits as the regular season winds down.
