The Golden State Warriors missed a big opportunity to bounce back after their loss to the San Antonio Spurs, falling to the Brooklyn Nets in a 128-120 defeat during the NBA regular season. One of the biggest talking points from the game was head coach Steve Kerr’s decision to limit Stephen Curry’s minutes at a critical juncture in the game.
Curry was subbed out late in the third quarter when the Warriors held a nine-point lead. However, by the time he returned at the start of the fourth quarter, Brooklyn had surged ahead with an insurmountable 25-11 run. Kerr later explained that Curry’s playing time is carefully managed to ensure his energy.
“We usually pencil him in for 32 [minutes], and we like to keep it around that number,” Kerr said during his postgame press conference at Chase Center. “We were able to give him a good rest in the first half because the second unit was playing really well.”
“I don’t love to run him the whole fourth quarter, and I like to have him close with some energy,” Kerr added. “So that means if we can give him that last eight minutes — generally, I feel pretty good about that. But at that point, Brooklyn was rolling, and we couldn’t slow them down.”
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots over Tyrese Martin #13 of the Brooklyn Nets in the second half at Chase Center. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Curry reflects on team adjustments
Despite Warriors‘ tough loss, Curry focused on the team’s evolving offensive strategies and emphasized the importance of staying adaptable as rotations continue to shift.
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“We’ve had some bright spots early in the season,” Curry said. “These last two games have definitely left a sour taste, but we’ve given ourselves a little cushion with a renewed mindset on how we’re trying to create offense—no matter who’s on the floor. We’re still playing 12 guys, so we have to adjust, no matter who’s in the rotation.”
What’s next for the Warriors?
The Warriors will look to rebound as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, November 28. Following that matchup, Golden State face a challenging road trip with games against the Phoenix Suns on November 30 and the Denver Nuggets on December 4.
