Since 2016–17, Curry has participated in the most games in a season.
The Warriors are currently vying for position in the play-in rankings. Every game has seemed like it belongs in the playoffs for weeks. Even if Houston’s defeat on Sunday effectively secured a postseason berth, it still pays to build momentum going into the play-in game by hitting your peak at the ideal moment.
In spite of everything, Steph Curry was given the night off by the Warriors on Sunday.
Curry, 36, did not play in Golden State’s game against the Jazz at home. He has only missed seven games so far this year.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stated, “He needed it.” “He hasn’t played this many games in a long time. He’ll find it useful for next week.
Curry said he woke up “feeling great” following Golden State’s victory in Houston, but Kerr said the Warriors debated resting him against the Mavericks on the second night of a back-to-back.
Curry played 35 minutes against the Mavericks, which is more than the 30-32 minutes the Warriors usually have him play in a two-point loss.
The Warriors would have had a much greater chance of moving up the standings if Klay Thompson had missed his corner three at the buzzer rather than short-rimming. It’s feasible that Curry dressed for the Utah game in the hypothetical.
“I think that Dallas game really changed a lot of things,” Kerr remarked. “Made it much harder for us to try to move up the ladder. It is now necessary to regroup and determine the best course of action for our guys.
The Warriors would still have a good chance of finishing in the ninth or eighth seed with a 5-0 season finale. However, it appears that Golden State will prioritize getting their best players well and refreshed for the play-in rather than exerting maximum effort in the closing minutes.
Given the age and injuries on Golden State’s squad, that will be crucial. Jonathan Kuminga made his court debut versus Utah after sitting out the previous six games due to bilateral knee tendonitis. For the second straight game, Andrew Wiggins was ruled out due to a sprained ankle. With just three games missed this season, Thompson has played in his most since sustaining his ruptured ACL and Achilles.
That will be important considering Golden State’s team’s age and injuries. Due to bilateral knee tendinitis, Jonathan Kuminga missed the previous six games before making his court debut against Utah. Andrew Wiggins was sidelined for the second straight game because of a sprained ankle. Thompson has participated in the most games since suffering ruptures to his Achilles and ACLs, missing just three so far this season.
Curry can get three full days off between games by sitting out the Jazz, and he is at his best when well rested. This year, especially following his ankle sprain, he has displayed sporadic signs of exhaustion. Curry’s shooting percentages in March are 43.7% from the field and 38.7% from deep, both much lower than his career averages.
Curry also seems to have been impacted by the recent officiating tendencies that have let greater contact to go unpunished. Even though he took a lot of hits on drives, Curry only attempted five foul shots in a recent five-game run.
This regular season, Curry has played 71 games, which is a record for him since he was 28 in 2016–17.
Kerr remarked, “What Steph does is superhuman.” “I believe that his power, endurance, and ability to fly around as he does are his most underappreciated qualities. Take in every defensive pressure that the opposing teams are applying to him. In an effort to slow him down and prevent him from killing people intentionally, everyone places him in pick and rolls. And he simply maintains impeccable hygiene.”
