Every game is important for the Golden State Warriors at this stage of the 2023-24 season, but on Sunday, they dropped a road matchup to the Minnesota Timberwolves to continue their slide.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry had 31 points in the game but logged just 30 minutes. That came as a surprise to some, as he’s averaging 32.7 minutes per game this season.
Questioned about Curry’s minutes load after the game, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr had a lot to say, claiming that the team can’t expect to simply ride the two-time MVP.
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
But at least one former NBA player disagrees. Retired wing Chandler Parsons thinks this is the time of year when the Warriors should be riding Curry.
"[Steve Kerr] sat [Steph Curry] too long…This is when you ride Steph Curry, this is when you push him."@ChandlerParsons reacts to Steve Kerr's postgame comments.
📺: https://t.co/wdT8I0SliI pic.twitter.com/CZgGvZ1vdm
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 25, 2024
The Warriors are in a very treacherous spot in the Western Conference, as they’re clinging to the final play-in spot by just a game.
The Houston Rockets, who have won eight in a row to pull to .500 on the season, are right behind the Warriors and threatening to steal the No. 10 spot.
Golden State has 12 games remaining in the regular season and may need a strong finish just to make the play-in tournament. Then, if the Warriors get there as the No. 10 seed in the West, they’ll need to win two straight games just to reach the first round of the playoffs.
Kerr may need to lean heavily on Curry over the remainder of the regular season to give the Warriors their best shot at reaching the play-in. This season, the future Hall of Famer is averaging 26.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from beyond the arc.
The Warriors will have to play eight of their final 12 games on the road, including a massive clash at the Rockets on April 4.
Golden State won a playoff series last season and won the NBA Finals the season before, but the 2023-24 campaign has become somewhat of a nightmare for the squad. The Warriors could use a win in their next game to calm some of the anxiety that may be building, and they’ll get a chance to do so on Tuesday against the Miami Heat.
