The Golden State Warriors, 36-33, need all the help they can get to close this season out. They sit at 10th in the Western Conference now, which would just barely get them into the NBA Play-in Tournament. The Houston Rockets are just a game and a half behind them in the West, and the Warriors only have 12 games left in the regular season to defend their current slot and try to move up.
So, if there was ever a time to turn on the heaters and lock in for a regular season push, it's now. Yet, Steve Kerr seems determined to rest his star player.
If the Warriors keep losing, Curry and the Warriors might have loads of rest time over the next few months.
Steve Kerr defends usage of Steph Curry in Timberwolves loss, fans don't like it
Curry played 30 minutes in the 114-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. The star is averaging 32.7 minutes per game, the lowest in a season since 2019-20 for the sharp-shooting guard out of Davidson.
Kerr has pulled Curry off the floor for some rest at times this season, and asked after the game about his use of the star, he said he didn't think him playing a few more minutes was the difference between a win or a loss.
Steve Kerr: “If you want to say (Steph Curry) playing 30 or 32 minutes was the difference in a win or a loss, I totally disagree.”
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 25, 2024
Full soundbite pic.twitter.com/otPdyyT4gr
Warriors fans, in response, were dismayed:
HE IS A DOUBLE AGENT TRYING TO SABOTAGE THE TEAM PLEASE FIRE HIM
— japta (@DubsBetterrr) March 25, 2024
My god I don’t think I can watch the warriors when this guy is the coach
— Chef curry Parody (@baby_face_goat) March 25, 2024
Why did he get a new contract 😂😂😂
— fan account (@Asensii20) March 25, 2024
Kerr isn't wrong that the Warriors have talent outside of Curry that should be capable of winning them games, but Curry is their crown jewel. With the season on the line, one would think it would behoove the team to get him more than right around 30 minutes of run. No, it may not have won the game, but it certainly could have! He's one of a handful of players in the league that can actually win you a game virtually singlehandedly. He definitely won't help on the bench.
Making strategy decisions in-game is hard in the era of load management, with Kerr pointing out that Curry is also roughed up from the recent stretch of games.
"We've put the burden of this franchise on his shoulders for 15 years," Kerr said, noting the team's upcoming road trip (five games in seven days) as something he's looking ahead to.
No, it may not be fair to put the franchise on Steph. But, when they have, he's delivered. Maybe Kerr needs to be reminded of that.