MINNEAPOLIS (AP) 鈥� All Steph Curry could do was watch from the Golden State bench during a takeover led by Minnesota's subs early in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors have slipped into precarious position for the postseason, and they're having a hard time finding their footing in this unfamiliar spot.
Starting a five-games-in-eight-days trip, coach Steve Kerr exercised caution with his 10-time All-Star point guard by extending the 36-year-old's rest period well into the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves, coincidentally or not, had a plus-12 advantage during his last absence of the .
By the time Curry checked back in with 6:54 to go, the Warriors trailed by eight points. They fell 114-110 to the Wolves, their sixth loss in their last nine games. In a 12-point loss at home to Indiana , Curry played 35 minutes.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got great players out there, so we can鈥檛 expect to just ride Steph game after game after game. These last few weeks have been really tough on him. We鈥檝e put the burden of this franchise on his shoulders for 15 years. We can鈥檛 expect him to play 35 minutes,鈥� Kerr said. 鈥淚f you want to say that him playing 30 minutes instead of 32 is the difference in a win and a loss, I totally disagree with that. We鈥檙e trying to win the game. We鈥檙e trying to keep him fresh too.鈥�
Curry acknowledged some mild surprise by his slightly extended stay on the bench, but he also seemed to realize the bigger picture Kerr was alluding to.
鈥淚 played the whole fourth quarter against Indiana 鈥� that didn鈥檛 work out. This didn鈥檛 work out. So we鈥檝e got to find somewhere in the middle,鈥� Curry said with a slight smile.
The Warriors (36-34) are just one game ahead of surging Houston for 10th place in the Western Conference and a spot in the play-in tournament.
鈥淭he situation will define itself pretty clearly, and it is kind of in real time,鈥� Curry said. 鈥淓very game matters. We鈥檙e inching closer to the other end of the standings that we never thought we鈥檇 be in, so nobody鈥檚 going to wave the white flag and say you鈥檙e mailing it in. If that means playing more minutes, then I鈥檒l be ready to do that.鈥�
This has been a trying season on and off the court for the Warriors, who dealt with two suspensions for sparkplug and then the sudden death of . They seem awfully far away from their fourth NBA title in eight years that they won in 2022.
鈥淚n order to win you have to build good habits,鈥� Green said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we have great habits.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
