SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors are confronting an issue central to their success—managing the rest and performance of their star, Stephen Curry. After an excellent run this season, Curry displayed signs of fatigue during a 114-105 defeat to an undermanned Denver Nuggets team. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is prioritizing finding rest periods for Curry, who became the first player in NBA history to hit 4,000 three-pointers. This milestone came just days after Curry celebrated his 37th birthday.
Kerr acknowledged Curry’s fatigue, stating, “Steph’s been carrying us for a month, and he’s been amazing. He’s tired, so we’ve got to get him some rest. You can see it, he just doesn’t have his energy right now.” During the game, Curry struggled with shooting, converting just 6 out of 21 attempts from the field and 4 of 14 from beyond the arc in almost 36 minutes on the court. Despite accruing 20 points, seven assists, and four rebounds, he committed seven turnovers, which contributed to 24 points for the Nuggets.
Curry admitted not being at his best, noting, “I feel fine, obviously I didn’t play great at all so everybody including coach is going to try to figure out why,” while sounding hoarse and acknowledging being a bit “stuffy.” He admitted that many of his mistakes, including five unforced turnovers, were avoidable errors. Throughout this season, Curry has contended with recurring knee issues and an aggravated back that has recently been troublesome.
Teammate Gary Payton II commented, “We try to take the pressure off him as much as we can. He has a guy on his hip 48 minutes of the game. I’m pretty sure he’s a little gassed.” As for whether Curry will rest during the back-to-back game against Milwaukee at Chase Center, the decision will be influenced by talks with Rick Celebrini, Director Of Sports Medicine And Performance.
Earlier in March, Curry reached the 25,000 points milestone and followed it by achieving his 4,000th career three-pointer against Sacramento. The Warriors are in the midst of a season-high seven-game homestand, which concludes with a game against Toronto on Thursday. Despite the recent loss, Golden State had been on a seven-game winning streak and boasts a 14-2 record in games featuring Curry and new backcourt partner Jimmy Butler since February.
Ensuring Curry’s health is crucial as Golden State pursues a playoff spot. “He’s exhausted right now. 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,” Kerr emphasized. “We’ll see. But I think he’s been tired the last few games, so we’ve got to find a way to get him his juice back.”
