OAKLAND -- When the Warriors close out the regular season Wednesday night against the Lakers at Oracle Arena, they’ll treat the game as if it were a preseason battle.
In a way, it is. The Warriors (66-15) last month locked up the Pacific Division title and last week secured the No. 1 overall seed for the postseason, which begins this weekend.
With the Warriors in full playoff-preparation mode, resting players and monitoring minutes and hoping to avoid injuries, Game 82 is strictly cosmetic.
As for the Lakers (26-55), despite their current five-game win streak, they have spent the season preparing for the future.