The Golden State Warriors have struggled throughout the playoffs. Steve Kerr’s team has not found the right balance between offense and defense. Jimmy Butler’s change in role has exposed the team defensively. Because of that, their overall level has fallen short of expectations. Stephen Curry has not been at his best either scoring only three points in the first two quarters of the Game 7. Hours before that game, Former NBA player Charles Barkley shared a bold prediction on Curry’s playoff performance.
“I don’t think he’s capable of getting 50 (points)…I’m talking now, this season. This is not January or February. This is the playoffs and he is wearing down,” stated Charles Barkley on TNT Sports. He has delivered a few strong performances. However, he has not maintained consistency throughout the playoffs. Because of that, his current form supports Barkley’s opinion.
Many fans blame Steve Kerr’s minutes management for Stephen Curry’s low form. All this because, he has played almost every game without rest. He also logged heavy minutes in the NBA playoffs. As a result, he looks visibly drained during games. His performance has not necessarily declined due to skill, but rather due to a lack of proper workload management, a point that has drawn increasing criticism toward Kerr.
Due to his poor performance in Game 7, Buddy Hield had to step up on offense being an essential piece in the development of the game. In addition, Draymond Green returned to give a great performance. He played a key role on both ends of the court.
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the second quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets
However, the minutes load on Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry hurt the team. Fans felt disappointed by their low output. Their poor performance came after Steve Kerr’s mismanagement of the rotation. As a result, the two offensive leaders looked worn out when it mattered most.
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Warriors head coach Steve Kerr faces criticism over handling of young talent Jonathan Kuminga
At the beginning of the season, Jonathan Kuminga seemed to have an increasingly relevant role. He averaged solid numbers and gained trust alongside Brandin Podziemski emerging as the leaders of the new generation of the franchise. However, everything changed with Jimmy Butler’s arrival. Kuminga lost playing time and slowly disappeared from the rotation.
It is difficult to second-guess Steve Kerr’s decisions as he sees the players every day. Still, the situation feels unusual. Kerr stopped relying on a young player the team had been developing. Nonetheless, Kuminga still received some minutes on some games, but he failed to make a real impact. As a result, his departure from the franchise seems more likely now.
