On Monday, the Golden State Warriors fell 128-120 to the Brooklyn Nets at Chase Center, marking their fifth loss in 17 games during the 2024-25 NBA season. Despite the defeat, head coach Steve Kerr chose to give limited court time to his two biggest stars—Stephen Curry and Draymond Green—leading to criticism from some fans and analysts who felt the decision impacted the team’s ability to secure a win.
Green addressed the matter during The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis, where he made it clear that Kerr’s decisions were rooted in experience and a broader perspective. “Steve has 9 championship rings—5 as a player and 4 as a coach,” he explained. “The reason I’m telling you (this) is because in a regular season game on Monday in November, Steve Kerr is not going to overreact to what the minutes are to what’s already been a tough last 5 days for us.”
In the game against Brooklyn, both Green and Curry played 29 minutes, with Curry only logging 15 minutes in the second half as the Nets mounted a comeback and ultimately secured the win.
Draymond explained that Kerr’s decision wasn’t about panicking over a lost lead. “(Kerr) is not going to overreact to a lead going away and put Steph back in the game or myself back in the game because the team is on a run,” Green added. “He ain’t doing that.”
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center
The veteran forward further explained, “It’s a soft Monday in November vs. the Nets. Okay, they beat us, it sucks—we all hate to lose—but you’re not risking injury to Steph Curry.” He made a crucial distinction about the timing: “Everybody’s going crazy, if this was a playoff game, you bet your bottom dollar all of us would’ve been right back in the game.”
Kerr’s proven approach
As Green emphasized, Steve Kerr has the experience and wisdom to manage his stars’ minutes over the course of a long season. He has learned from the best, including legends like Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich, who expertly managed the workloads of superstars like Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan.
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Kerr has applied these lessons with the Warriors, carefully managing the minutes of his star-studded roster, which has included the likes of Curry, Green, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant. The results speak for themselves: four NBA titles in the last decade, with a real possibility of adding a fifth this year.
What’s next for the Warriors?
The loss to the Nets is part of a challenging stretch for Golden State, with little rest between games. After a tight turnaround, the Warriors will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night at Chase Center in what promises to be one of the most exciting matchups of the week. The Warriors will be looking to bounce back and continue their push toward another deep playoff run.
