“He did what he wanted to do, way better than anything we wanted to do” - Greg Popovich applauds Steph Curry’s efforts to turn the game around in Golden State Warriors loss to San Antonio Spurs
Golden State Warriors talisman Steph Curry has built a reputation for turning things around during a game single-handedly. Legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich acknowledged the same after his side's impressive 112-107 win on the road against the Dubs.
Steph. Curry. 🗣🗣🗣 https://t.co/8kur2Upxsy
Steph Curry scored 17 of his 27 points in the second half to help the Golden State Warriors overturn a 22-point deficit. It allowed the Warriors to take a one-point lead with just two-and-a-half minutes left on the clock. However, the Spurs came back strongly at the end to secure a win, ending the Warriors' 11-game winning streak at home. Speaking of Curry's heroic effort, Popovich said (via Mark Haynes):
"I thought we did well until he decided to do what he wanted to do, and then he did what he wanted to do way better than anything we wanted to do. That's who he is."
Steph Curry had a rough night early on, having scored only ten points on 1-of-11 shooting from the field in the first half. He was unable to find his rhythm, and so were his teammates, as the Dubs trailed by 15 points by the end of the first quarter. The Golden State Warriors are now 19-4 for the season but still have the joint-best record in the NBA.
Steph Curry just went 1 of 11 shooting in the first half and was 0 of 9 with under a minute left. Still did the lookaway 3. https://t.co/Y9sAica4oC
Should the Golden State Warriors consider resting Steph Curry more often?
Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors had a sluggish start against the Spurs. Nevertheless, Curry turned up late and was the Warriors' best player. However, it did seem like he was tired on the second night of back-to-back games.
Steve Kerr's men had to fight hard to bag a win against the Phoenix Suns on Friday. It was always going to be a tricky fixture for them against a young Spurs team, especially since the game was set 24 hours after their match against the Suns.
It would have been ideal for the Golden State Warriors to rest their star player Steph Curry for Saturday's contest. His initial struggles against the Spurs could have been due to a lack of rest. The two-time MVP has played 34.2 minutes per contest, featuring in 22 of the 24 matches the Warriors have played thus far.
Curry also played the most minutes for the Dubs in the loss to the Spurs (36). The Warriors are in a comfortable position as far as the standings are concerned. They also have the squad depth to survive a game or two in Steph Curry's absence. They can consider resting Curry against opponents who are unlikely to find themselves fighting for a playoff spot by the end of the campaign.
The Golden State Warriors will have to be cautious moving forward with Steph Curry's minutes. They need him to be 100% against contending teams and during the postseason. Hence, the Dubs should be considering resting their star player more often.