The Golden State Warriors' NBA title defence has so far been beset by problems – primarily the absences of key personnel.
Even now, there remains no return date for Andrew Wiggins, who has played only 37 of 69 games this season and missed the past 12 for personal reasons.
Stephen Curry is back now but has sat for 26 games this year.
Although the Warriors' most-used lineup in the 2022 playoffs – including both Wiggins and Curry – has again been their most-used lineup in this regular season, it has started just a third of their games.
Yet that does not explain a quite remarkable trend that has developed across this campaign and now causes the Warriors real concern as they go on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Golden State have won their past eight home games, the longest active streak in the NBA, yet they have lost their past eight road games, also the league's longest active streak.
This form extends beyond the past month, too.
Ahead of Tuesday's games, the Warriors possess the fourth-best home record at 29-7, actually improving on last year's winning percentage after a 31-10 performance at Chase Center en route to taking the title.
However, on the road, only tanking duo the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets are worse off than the Warriors, who are an alarming 7-26.
Those contrasting records are still good enough to have the Warriors fifth in the Western Conference, but they are 1.5 games behind the fourth-placed Phoenix Suns, meaning Golden State are set to miss out on home advantage for every round of the playoffs. Clearly, that is an issue.
The Warriors' eight-game losing streak on the road has included each of their prior three games in Los Angeles this season, beaten by the Clippers on Valentine's Day ahead of defeats to the Lakers in consecutive road games. All of their eight straight losses have come against Western Conference rivals.
Now, this latest game at the Clippers – who are sixth in the West with an identical record to the Warriors – marks the start of a five-game road trip, with eight of Golden State's final 13 matchups away from San Francisco.
Their home record may have kept them competitive to this point, but hopes for success in the postseason will require vast improvement on the road moving forward.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Los Angeles Clippers – Kawhi Leonard
As for several Warriors stars, this has been another stop-start season for Leonard, yet he has started seven of the Clippers' eight games since the All-Star break and is finally building momentum again.
Leonard had averaged 22.1 points prior to the All-Star break but has scored 31.0 points per game since then. That is tied for the sixth-best mark in that time, along with Curry.
Golden State Warriors – Klay Thompson
Curry has actually averaged more points on the road this season (30.3) than at home (28.9), but he has lacked support in away games because the same has not been true of team-mate Thompson.
The 33-year-old has scored 24.8 points at home but just 19.0 on the road. However, he has still averaged 24.6 points in those rare road wins.
Golden State will need Curry and Thompson to turn up together to get their road form back on track.
KEY BATTLE – Fast start vital
As much as any Clipper, the Warriors will be battling themselves in the first quarter. Their slow starts in road games have been ever so costly.
Golden State have trailed through the first quarter of 17 games on the road this season. They are an incredible 0-17 in those games.
The Warriors must either make a rapid start or rediscover the sort of championship grit that would allow them to recover when they are up against it on their travels.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The Warriors are 2-1 against the Clippers this season, although those two wins have of course come in San Francisco.
Since 2019, Golden State have won just one of five road games against the Clippers. They had won eight of nine such matchups prior to that in a series they have dominated 137-94 all-time.
Kompany looking to start next season's preparations immediately following Burnley's relegation
Vincent Kompany is looking to start Burnley's preparations for next season as soon as possible after their relegation was confirmed with defeat away at Tottenham.
Burnley knew they had to win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday to keep any hopes of staying up alive, and Jacob Bruun Larsen's first-half strike put the Clarets ahead in north London.
However, Pedro Porro equalised for the hosts, before Micky van de Ven slotted home in the 82nd minute to condemn Kompany's men to the second tier after just one season back in the top-flight.
Burnley's last campaign in the Championship ended in immediate promotion, in impressive fashion too as they romped to the title.
Kompany is hoping for more of the same next term, telling BBC Sport: "Today the Premier League is over, but tomorrow we start day one of doing everything we can to get back to the Premier League.
"I'm very lucky to be surrounded by good people, hard-working players, staff and fans who have backed the club for generations. That's who we try to do it for every weekend.
"The game has gone a bit like others have gone for us this season. We created chances but the one where we missed the final pass.
"I'm not here sulking and feeling sorry for us, but if you take every game, every season as a learning experience, this is a step we need to get into our game."
Spurs had previously lost four on the bounce, and it appeared they would slip up further as Saturday's contest went on until Van de Ven's crucial late goal ensured the three points, moving them four points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with two games remaining.
Ange Postecoglou's men accumulated an xG (expected goals) of 2.5 to Burnley's 0.75, and the Spurs boss felt his side should have cruised to a much more routine win than it ultimately proved to be.
"We were dominant enough," Postecoglou told BBC Sport. "Their keeper was outstanding today and we had enough chances.
"It's always difficult when you lose four matches in a row and it is only natural there will be a bit of anxiety and a bit of stress there.
"For the most part I think we handled the game well, and we finished the game strong. It should have been a more comfortable victory, but the most important thing is we won the game."
Van de Ven's cool finish was his third goal of the season, and the 23-year-old's performances at centre-back since joining from Wolfsburg prior to the campaign have earned plaudits.
Postecoglou is delighted with the defender's maiden Premier League campaign, saying: "He's not a bad player, is he? He's outstanding and that's the exciting thing for me - it is his first year in Premier League football.
"I can't think of too many players who have made such an impact in their first year of Premier League football, and knowing he only really had one year in the Bundesliga. It's not like he's a seasoned professional.
"He has had a few injury problems, but when he's played he has been outstanding."
Tottenham 2-1 Burnley: Clarets down as Van de Ven boosts Spurs' top-four hopes
Burnley's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed as a late Micky van de Ven winner clinched a 2-1 home win for Tottenham on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany's men had to win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to keep their survival hopes alive, and it looked possible when Jacob Bruun Larsen fired the Clarets ahead in the first half.
However, Pedro Porro struck to level, before Van de Ven rifled home with eight minutes to play to condemn Burnley to the second tier and boost Spurs' Champions League hopes.
It's a result that ends Spurs' run of four straight defeats and leaves them four points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with two games to play.
Burnley nearly got their noses in front after just five minutes, though Guglielmo Vicario was equal to Vitinho's header, while Brennan Johnson saw an effort well-saved by Arijanet Muric up the other end in a frenzied start.
The Clarets took the lead with 25 minutes played, persistent work from Sander Berge allowing Bruun Larsen to latch onto the Norway international's throughball before slotting past Vicario.
Burnley's lead didn't last long, though, Porro driving into the box before unleashing a powerful finish into the back of the net.
Wilson Odobert nearly restored his side's advantage after the break as his thunderous effort was tipped over by Vicario as Burnley looked for a lifeline.
Muric kept out James Maddison at the other end with a brilliant stop, before also denying Kulusevski with Spurs looking to turn up the heat.
The hosts did find a winner late on, Van de Ven taking the ball into the penalty area before coolly slotting home to send Burnley down and keep his side's slender top-four chances alive.
Burnley down despite late surge
A run of just one Premier League defeat in nine games across March and April had given Burnley some slender hopes of survival, but they were simply left with too much to do as defeat at Spurs ensured they would be playing second-tier football next season.
After romping to the Championship title last term, some had lofty pre-season hopes for Burnley, but the Clarets have won just five league games all season, not enough to keep them in the division.
Burnley's relegation is their fifth from the Premier League, and Kompany has work to do if they are to bounce back in similar one-season fashion as they did so impressively last term.
Van de Ven secures much-needed three points
Villa are floundering, winless in four in all competitions and losing three of those outings. However, Spurs had previously been unable to put any kind of pressure on Unai Emery's men as they endured a run of four straight defeats at an inopportune junction in the season.
It appeared Spurs would stumble further with a home draw against a bottom-three side, but Van de Ven's crucial late winner has somewhat turned the heat up on Villa ahead of their games against Liverpool and Crystal Palace.
Ange Postecoglou's men accumulated 2.5 xG (expected goals) to Burnley's 0.75, and Van de Ven's strike means Spurs have now won eight of their nine Premier League home meetings with Burnley. The result also ensures Postecoglou avoids becoming the first Spurs manager to lose five top-flight outings in a row since Osvaldo Ardiles in 1994 (seven).
NBA: Nuggets end Timberwolves' perfect postseason with rout, Pacers edge Knicks
Nikola Jokić had 24 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists and Jamal Murray bounced back with 24 points as the Denver Nuggets rolled to a 117-90 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Friday.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 21 points and Aaron Gordon had 13 for the Nuggets, who cruised to an easy win on the road after dropping the first two games at home.
They are the 30th team in the history of the NBA playoffs to lose the first two games at home in a best-of-seven series. Five of them have rallied to win, most recently the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round in 2021.
Game 4 is Sunday in Minneapolis.
Murray totalled just 25 points on 9-of-32 shooting over the first two games but was 11 of 21 in this one.
Denver shot 14 of 29 from 3-point range with Gordon and Porter combining to hit 7 of 9.
Anthony Edwards was held in check with 19 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 for a Wolves team that suffered its first loss in seven playoff games.
Minnesota shot 10 of 33 from long range and fell behind by as many as 34 points down the stretch.
Pacers rally to cut deficit to 2-1
Andrew Nembhard drilled a 31-foot, tiebreaking 3-pointer with 16 seconds left and Tyrese Haliburton had 35 points with six 3-pointers as the Indiana Pacers rallied for a 111-106 win over the banged-up New York Knicks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks lead the series 2-1 with Game 4 on Sunday in Indianapolis. New York held a nine-point lead with 9:45 remaining but was unable to hold the lead with star guard Jalen Brunson slowed by a right foot injury.
Nembhard scored all five of his points in the final minute, connecting on a long 3 as the shot clock expired to give the Pacers a 109-106 lead.
Brunson missed a potential tying 3 with 14 seconds left and finished with 26 points on 10-of-26 shooting.
Donte DiVincenzo scored 35 points and was 7 for 11 on 3s, while Alec Burks, who came in having played just 1 minute in the playoffs, scored 14 points in 21 minutes for the Knicks, who played without starting forward OG Anunoby.
It’s unclear whether Anunoby can recover from his injured left hamstring to play Sunday.,
Haliburton triggered Indiana’s comeback in the fourth quarter. He completed a three-point play and then made back-to-back layups to make it 98-96. After Brunson made a free throw, Pascal Siakam tied the score with a three-point play.
The teams traded the lead four more times, with Brunson’s 3 tying it at 106 with 42 seconds remaining.
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