Steph Curry has been on an absolute tear in the last few weeks. It seems like every week, he is breaking another record, or getting another milestone. Warriors coach Steve Kerr recently talked about how Steph Curry needs rest. But can the Warriors afford to give him some? Let’s take a look.
Steph Curry Needs Rest, the Warriors Can Give Him a Week Off
Following the loss against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, Kerr talked about how Curry looked exhausted. He said,
“He’s tired. Steph’s been carrying us for a month. He’s been amazing. He’s tired, so we got to get him some rest. Just you can see it. He doesn’t have his energy right now.”
The Warriors play Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, the second game of their back-to-back homestead. Kerr says Curry might be out for the game, saying,
“He’s exhausted right now. So we’ve got to absolutely consider giving him a night and getting him rejuvenated for the sake of him and the remainder of our games. But we’ll see. I think he’s been tired the last few games, and so we’ve got to find a way to get him his juice back.”
How Can the Warriors Give their Franchise Player One Week Off?
Looking at the schedule, the Warriors can find a way to rest Curry. After the game against the Bucks, for which he might be out, they have a rather easy schedule.
They welcome the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, before heading for a short East Coast trip in Atlanta and Miami. If they let Curry rest for four games, they can give him more than a week’s rest. Their next game after those four is in New Orleans, on March 28. That is almost 10 full days of rest. Of course, juggling with the league office and policy about resting players will be challenging.
Yet, even if they only give him the East Coast trip off, that will be almost a week off. They play in Atlanta on Saturday, March 22, and then in Miami, on Tuesday, March 25.
Can the Warriors Afford to Rest Curry?
The Golden State Warriors had a goal of getting the sixth seed. That will guarantee them a playoff spot without battling in the play-in, giving them another week off. With Jimmy Butler in the lineup, they are 14-2 after the loss to the Nuggets. They have been winning lately. Draymond Green’s claim that they will win the title doesn’t sound so foolish right now. People mocked him when he talked about a deep playoff run during the All-Star break, but the Warriors have been winning.
Besides Milwaukee, their next five games are easier ones against the Raptors at home, and then in Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, and San Antonio.
They are three and a half games behind the fifth seed in the Western Conference. With 14 games left to play, that might seem like an unrealistic goal. But the sixth seed is certainly in play. The Timberwolves, who are their biggest competitor for the sixth seed, have a tougher schedule.
For the Warriors, their biggest challenge is the first 10 days of April. During that period, they have a stretch of four games against playoff teams. They play on the road against the Grizzlies and Lakers, and then at home against the Nuggets and Rockets.
Golden State will need Steph Curry fresh for the stretch run, and they need to give him some rest. Besides this week, they can also potentially rest him at the end of the season. Their last four games are against Phoenix, San Antonio, Portland, and the Clippers.
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