Brandin Podziemski: Warriors Confident They Can Beat 'Any Team' in NBA Playoff Series

The Golden State Warriors face an uphill battle to clinch a playoff berth this season, but if they can accomplish the feat, Brandin Podziemski has no doubt they'll be able to compete with the best of the best.

"We got the confidence we can beat any team… in a seven game series," the rookie told reporters Wednesday.

The Warriors have struggled this season following a roster shakeup that saw the departure of Jordan Poole in the deal that landed them Chris Paul from the Washington Wizards.

The addition of Paul, a 12-time All-Star, hasn't worked out as Golden State had hoped. The 38-year-old has appeared in just 32 games due to a fractured left hand, but he also hasn't lived up to expectations when healthy.

Paul averaged just 8.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists while shooting 42.4 percent from the floor and 36.1 percent from deep before hitting the shelf following a Jan. 5 win over the Detroit Pistons.

When Paul returns to the lineup, it's hard to envision him having a big enough impact to help vault the Warriors into contention for a playoff spot.

Aside from Paul, the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson haven't met expectations this year, which has only made matters worse.

Head coach Steve Kerr even moved Thompson to a bench role in Golden State's final game before the All-Star break last week—a 140-137 win over the Utah Jazz. It marked the first time Thompson had come off the bench since his rookie year in 2011-12.

While Podziemski is confident Golden State can compete with any franchise, it's unlikely the team will be very competitive against the top teams in the Western Conference in the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers.

With any luck for their fans, the Dubs will return from the All-Star break on Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers with a little more fire to climb the standings and secure a playoff berth.