Warriors stranded in New York airport after flight glitches, delays arrival in Toronto: Reports
The Golden State Warriors were left stranded in New York after their clash with the New York Knicks on Thursday. The game saw the team compete against the Knicks at the Madison Square Garden, where they picked up a 110-99 win. After the game, mechanical issues with the plane that was supposed to take them to Toronto resutled in the flight being delayed.
According to reports, the team was unable to take off at the scheduled time, with their departure being pushed back until early Friday morning. The hour-long flight then reportedly saw the team land in Toronto on Friday morning, with the team getting to their hotel at 7 a.m. according to reports.
Although it's unclear whether the times given are in Eastern Time or not, the Warriors and Raptors are set to face off tonight at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Given the situation, the delay in travel, and lack of sleep could be a contributing factor in tonight's clash in Toronto.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic broke the news, relaying important information regarding the team's travel schedule, and their arrival in Toronto:
"The Warriors plane was delayed getting out of New York last night, I'm told. Mechanical issue. They didn't take off until nearly 5 a.m. Didn't land until after 6 a.m. The team didn't get to their hotel in Toronto until after 7 a.m. They face the Raptors tonight."
Looking at the Golden State Warriors' upcoming game against the Toronto Raptors, and the team's postseason chances
Golden State's upcoming game against the Toronto Raptors sees the team in a must-win position, just like the rest of their recent games. With the postseason in sight, the team finds themselves in a difficult position in the stacked Western Conference.
Although they have won eight of their last ten games, they notably sit in tenth place in the West. This means that if the season were to end today, Golden State would have to make it through the play-in tournament in order to clinch a playoff berth.
Sitting just half a game ahead of them in the standings is the LA Lakers, who have also been eager to improve their standing in the Western Conference. Sitting in eighth-place, two spots ahead of the Warriors, however, is the Sacramento Kings, who are a full two games ahead of Golden State.
Given the current landscape of the Western Conference, it appears as though the Warriors will likely have to compete in the play-in tournament. In addition to questions about their depth, and the consistency of Klay Thompson, it will likely be a slippery slope for Golden State.
While it appears unlikely that they fall out of play-in contention, their inconsistency this season is cause for concern. Whether or not the travel delay winds up impacting their play against Toronto, only time will tell.