The Golden State Warriors currently possess a 63-7 record, so there’s recently been a lot of talk about whether or not they will rest reigning MVP Stephen Curry to give them the best chance at defending their title.
Curry has averaged 33.9 minutes per game this season, which is even more than he played last season (32.7 minutes/game). He’s also on pace to attempt more shots than he has during any season in his career. Curry has already put up 1346 shots, and seems poised to break his mark of 1388 which he attempted in the 2012-13 season.
But he hasn’t been asked to sit out or take a rest by the team in any of their 12 remaining games—not yet, anyway.
Stephen Curry said the Warriors haven’t approached him about taking a rest game in the season’s final weeks … yet.
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) March 23, 2016
The Warriors want their superstar to be healthy heading into the playoffs, but they’re also attempting to break the 1995-96 Bulls’ win-loss record and compile the best regular season of all-time. To do that, they’d need to go 10-2 down the stretch, which is certainly feasible.
Golden State is currently four games ahead of San Antonio for the top seed and home court throughout the playoffs. Should they rest Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green? It’s an interesting predicament, and the team’s coaching staff could elect to just sit one of those three for a game or two, rather than resting them all in a particular game, which Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has done on multiple occasions.
The Warriors have a tough game on Wednesday at home against the Clippers, but are then scheduled to face the Mavericks and 76ers. It seems unlikely that Golden State would pass on resting at least one of its starters in those two games, but only time will tell.