"We have to protect him from himself" - Steve Kerr reveals it's difficult to tell Steph Curry to stay on the sidelines
Steve Kerr revealed that it's tough to tell Steph Curry to rest during the regular season. Curry has played 16 of 18 games for the Golden State Warriors, including back-to-backs. During an appearance on 95.7 The Game's Damon and Rotto show, Kerr said that the Warriors have to protect Curry from himself due to his desire to play every game.
"It's really hard to try to tell Steph that he's not gonna play," said Kerr. But we have to protecy him from himself... It's a brutal schedule. As well as he's playing, he's banged up, and at 34, it's just got to be something we make sure we stay on top of."
Steph always wants to play 🤷♂️ https://t.co/dzII1Vet1P
Curry has played at an MVP-caliber level. He is averaging 32.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game, shooting on 50/40/90 splits. However, the Warriors won't be playing him nightly. Especially over the next few days with them flying around and playing back-to-back games.
He missed the team's 128-83 loss against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, the second night of a back-to-back on the road. The Dubs haven't been able to secure results without him, but resting him is the ideal way to move forward.
Steph Curry hasn't slowed down much, but as Kerr mentioned, at 34, he will naturally feel the exhaustion.
Also read: ”Every single game cannot be a Steph miracle bail out” - NBA analyst expresses concern about Warriors' inability to win games without Steph Curry
Warriors need to get it together in Steph Curry's absence
The Golden State Warriors entered the season with high hopes. They were projected to be atop the standings 15-20 games into the season. Instead, they are reeling in 11th place in the Western Conference standings with an 8-10 record.
Steph Curry's MVP-caliber performances haven't made a difference. Unlike previous years as contenders, the Warriors don't have a veteran presence on their second unit this season. The young guys have struggled to play to their potential, leading to majority of the Dubs' losses.
The starting unit has played at a high level. The Warriors' playing five top the offensive, defensive and net rating charts compared to other teams that have flourished this year.
But as a unit, they are 14th in offensive ratings, 27th in defense and 24th in net ratings. It's still a young season, so the Warriors might be keen to rest Steph Curry as much as possible now. However, if their bench fails to step up, the Dubs could look into increasing Curry's workload midway through the year.
Also read: Golden State Warriors insider makes a bold statement about team: "Warriors before last season decided we're gonna go all in on the future... I don't think it's going to lead to a championship"