Warriors are expected to take a patient approach with Stephen Curry's injury as they sit eighth in the Western Conference. According to former Warriors writer Matt Steinmetz, the team is likely to rest Curry as long as possible, aiming to keep their play-in position stable before bringing him back later in the season.
The biggest storyline around the Golden State Warriors right now is not just losses or the standings. It is the plan with Stephen Curry and how long the team will keep him off the floor.
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Former Warriors beat writer Matt Steinmetz, who now co-hosts a show on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, made it clear what he believes is happening behind the scenes.
"There are gonna be nights when they are just not gonna compete. People are saying they're tanking, and I don't think they're tanking," Steinmetz said. "People are saying Steph's gonna get shut down. I don't think Steph's gonna get shut down. They are right now, the eighth seed in the West. They got a couple games between them and the seven, and a couple games between them and the nine."
"And to me, it's apparent what's happening here, they're going to rest Stephen Curry as long as they can and then, mid-to-late March, maybe early April, he'll come back. And at that point, they'll still be at eight and they'll hope to win one play-in game. The goal right now is easy. It's to make the playoffs. If they make the playoffs, they will be able to live with themselves."
That approach makes sense when looking at the Western Conference standings. Even though Golden State has struggled and gone 6-10 over its last 16 games, the team is still sitting at No 8.
The roster is filled with role players, but after losing Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL, the team no longer has the star power needed to control games against weaker opponents.
The front office tried to make a move at the NBA deadline by trading for Kristaps Porzingis. However, that deal has not paid off so far. Porzingis returned from an Achilles tendon injury but has been dealing with illness and has played just one game in nearly a month with the team.
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