On Sunday night in Minneapolis, the Golden State Warriors found themselves entering the fourth quarter with a slim 3-point lead. Steph Curry, their star player, had logged a reasonable 23 minutes on the court, having taken a rest during the final minutes of the third quarter. Just two nights prior, in a similar scenario, Curry had played the entire fourth quarter, pushing his total minutes to 35.
It was evident that Steve Kerr, along with the team’s medical staff and decision-makers, aimed to avoid repeating such a heavy workload for Curry. With a busy road trip ahead, they preferred to keep his playing time around the 32-minute mark on most nights. Hence, Curry began the fourth quarter on the bench.
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.”
Full soundbite pic.twitter.com/otPdyyT4gr
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 25, 2024
However, the Minnesota Timberwolves quickly turned the tide of the game, increasing the pressure on the Warriors. In less than a minute, the Timberwolves scored on four consecutive possessions, flipping the score from a 3-point deficit to a 3-point lead.
Kerr opted to observe the situation for a while, but with a dunk from Rudy Gobert, a turnover from Chris Paul, and a layup from Mike Conley, the Timberwolves extended their lead to four points. This prompted the Warriors to call a timeout.
Steph Curry: “The situation will define itself pretty clearly. It is in real time. Every game matters. We’re inching closer to the other end of the standings. Nobody’s gonna wave the white flag. If that means playing more minutes, I’ll be ready to do that.” pic.twitter.com/om2Mm8hZal
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 25, 2024
It seemed like the opportune moment for Curry to return to the game. With just under nine minutes remaining, bringing Curry back would have aligned with his typical playing time of around 32 minutes. Curry himself expressed a slight surprise that his number wasn’t called, considering the circumstances of the game and the team’s current struggles.
Curry ended up resting for an extra two minutes, during which the Warriors’ deficit grew from 4 points to 8 points. When he finally re-entered the game with just under seven minutes remaining, the Warriors trailed 97-89. Despite a valiant effort, they ultimately fell short, losing 114-110. Notably, during Curry’s time on the court, the Warriors outscored the Timberwolves by 6 points, whereas during his absence, they were outscored by 10 points.
Draymond Green with an honest postgame about the sputtering Warriors.
“I don’t think we have great habits.”
“We’re a very quiet team.”
“I don’t give a damn about the Rockets.” pic.twitter.com/poNFAVaL5H
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 25, 2024
Kerr explained that the decision to limit Curry’s minutes was part of a broader strategy to keep him fresh and prevent overexertion, particularly given the demanding schedule ahead. While acknowledging the importance of Curry’s presence on the court, Kerr emphasized the need to distribute the workload among other talented players on the team.
Steve Kerr showed the Warriors all their transition “stays” in loss to Pacers: “You don’t crash. You don’t get back. You just kind’ve stand there.”
There was a particularly egregious one in crunch time to give Nembhard a layup: “That was on there.” pic.twitter.com/frbJaSfX0o
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 24, 2024
Looking ahead, the Warriors face a challenging road, with only 12 games left in the regular season. Despite their current struggles, Curry remains optimistic, emphasizing the team’s determination to fight for every game. However, with tough matchups against playoff contenders like the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic looming, the Warriors must quickly address their defensive lapses and regain momentum to secure a spot in the postseason.
As they navigate through these challenges, Curry believes that a single spark can reignite their season, echoing the recent success of teams like the Houston Rockets. With time running out, the Warriors remain focused on turning things around and making a late surge towards playoff contention.
