Editor's note: Grant Liffmann (@grantliffmann) is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders, which airs on NBC Sports Bay Area 90 minutes before each home game and 60 minutes after every game.
After finishing off an impressive 3-1 road trip against some of the better teams in the Western Conference, the Warriors currently sit a half game up on the Denver Nuggets for the top seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets have won four in a row, and are right on the heels of the Warriors.
But Denver's road to the best record in the West is going to be much more difficult than the Dubs'.
The Warriors have 12 games left to play in the regular season, with seven of those games coming at home. Obviously, after that bad home loss against the Suns, no game at home should simply be a guaranteed win for the Dubs. But the last few regular season games in the raucous confines of Oracle Arena should still be a motivating push for the team.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets, who have the best home record in the NBA, have only five of their remaining 13 games on their home court.
Denver has an incredible 30-6 record at home, but a pedestrian 17-16 record on the road. On top of that, the Nuggets also have to play nine games against teams that would be in the playoffs if the season were to end today. Within those nine games are tough road games in Houston, Oklahoma City, Portland, Utah and most importantly, Golden State on April 2.
On the other hand, the Warriors only play four of their remaining 12 games against potential playoff teams. Those four games, against Indiana, Detroit, Denver and the LA Clippers, are all going to be played at Oracle Arena.
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The Warriors surely will do everything in their power to be healthy and rested when they enter the playoffs. That is their top priority, not the top seed in the West.
However, due to their relatively weak strength of schedule, and Denver's tough road ahead, all the stars are aligned for the Warriors to secure home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.