The Golden State Warriors’ 2023-24 NBA season is hanging on by a thread. The team is only one game ahead of the Houston Rockets for the final spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference, as there is a chance the Warriors won’t even get the opportunity to qualify for a playoff spot this season.
Golden State has not been playing great basketball recently, as their loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday evening was their second in a row and sixth out of their last nine games. Frustrations are mounting as Golden State is in a position they haven’t been in often during the Big 3 era.
One of the major takeaways from the loss on Sunday was that head coach Steve Kerr opted to limit the minutes of superstar, Stephen Curry. Whatever strategy Kerr had for making the move did not pan out as the Warriors lost 114-110 and are now only one game ahead of the Rockets.
After the game, Curry spoke about the decision to play him fewer minutes. It was not something he was happy about, as he took a shot at Kerr for the decision he made.
“I want to play as many minutes as I’m fresh and able to, so a little bit,” Curry said when asked if his extended time on the bench surprised him. “Knowing that they were just getting on a run. The lead was kind of whittling away.”
With 4:07 remaining in the third quarter and Golden State up 69-65, Kerr subbed Curry out of the game, as Draymond Green and Chris Paul re-entered. Curry inexplicably remained on the bench until there was 6:54 remaining in the game with Golden State now trailing 97-89.
“We’ve got to find somewhere in the middle,” Curry said.
A 12-point swing with your best player sitting on the bench is the kind of thing that gets head coaches placed on the hot seat. It was something Curry clearly didn’t agree with and the results speak for themselves.
Curry played 29:51 in the game and the Warriors were +6 with him on the court. It is not hard to imagine things would have gone differently had Curry just played his average number of minutes this season, which is 32.7 per game.
“The situation will define itself pretty clearly,” Curry said. “And it kind of is, in real time. Every game matters. We’re inching closer to the other side of the standings we never thought we’d be in. Nobody’s going to wave the white flag and say we’re mailing it in. If that means playing more minutes, I’ll be ready to do that.”
That was a bad tactical error on Kerr’s part and it ended up costing his team the game. As Curry stated, that kind of loss can define a season, especially with how bunched up the NBA Play-In Tournament standings are now in the Western Conference.
Knowing what it takes to win, it is admirable for Curry to say he wants to play more minutes if it will help the team. Healthy and looking to avoid missing the postseason, Kerr should heed that advice from his star player, as Golden State needs him on the court as much as possible to remain competitive.
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