SUMMARY
- Steph Curry was not allowed to play the entire fourth quarter while the Warriors got beaten by the Wolves.
- He only played 30 minutes and record 31 points.
Steph Curry has been the frontman of the Golden State Warriors troupe since the start of his career. Once there is a system set, it gets hard for teams to adapt to tiny changes. And the NBA is known for being a place that goes through constant change. Just like the Warriors hit overdrive mode nearly a decade ago and left other teams scrambling to figure out their schemes, the Dubs are bound to witness it happen to them as well.
Ironically, it is precisely what we are seeing happen today. Multiple teams such as the LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Oklahoma City Thunder have now entered their best eras. And the Warriors are now a team that’s facing the challenge of understanding the opposition’s schemes. As a result, they’ve gone through multiple roster changes over the last couple of months. Unfortunately, certain players haven’t really been the same anymore.
Steve Kerr claims playing Steph Curry more won’t help the Warriors win
Bringing Klay Thompson off the bench and pushing Kevon Looney from the starting lineup to a much deeper unit are a few changes the Warriors have experienced this season. Steph Curry, who is currently 36 years old is the only person who has carried the weight of the Warriors’ struggles lately. This isn’t what head coach Steve Kerr wants anymore. He believes that the rest of the team needs to be able to balance things out.
Kerr on Curry’s minute load tonight: ““We can’t expect to just ride Steph. We’ve put the burden of this franchise on his shoulders for 15 years … If you want to say that him playing 30 minutes instead of 32 is a difference in a win and a loss, I totally disagree with that.”
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) March 25, 2024
“We can’t expect to just ride Steph. We’ve put the burden of this franchise on his shoulders for 15 years… If you want to say that him playing 30 minutes instead of 32 is a difference in a win and a loss, I totally disagree with that,” he said during the postgame press conference. In their recent loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Curry wasn’t sent to the floor during their crucial minutes.
He played 30 minutes on the floor and recorded 31 points. Fans were pretty upset that Kerr opted to bench Curry during the initial part of the fourth quarter. The Warriors and Wolves weren’t far off on the scoreboard either. But Kerr believes the rest of the team also needs to learn how to step up during crucial minutes rather than rely on the veteran.
Steph Curry isn’t ready to wave the white flag just yet
Steph Curry isn’t fully upset that he didn’t get to play the fourth quarter in its entirety. However, the veteran claimed he was a little surprised he wasn’t allowed to play since the Wolves were on a run. But he also made sure to deliver his intentions moving forward. According to ESPN, he said, “The situation will define itself in real-time. Every game matters as we’re inching closer to the other end of the standings we never thought we would be in.”
He added, “No one is going to wave the white flag and say we are mailing it in. If that means playing more minutes, I’ll be ready to do that.” Interestingly, Curry plays fewer minutes than most stars in the league. But he still manages to produce impressive numbers averaging 26.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 32.7 minutes per game. The Warriors could indeed have a higher chance of winning if he plays more minutes. But Kerr also comes from a place of teaching his younger stars to carry the weight as well.