Steve Kerr has a message for fans planning to see Stephen Curry this season. The Golden State Warriors head coach says to check the schedule before buying tickets. Curry will not play every night, and the team is changing how it builds him up.
Kerr Warns Warriors Fans
Kerr spoke after Thursday’s practice. He acknowledged that many fans buy tickets hoping to see Curry. Some of those games will fall on rest nights.
“We have fans who buy tickets expecting to see Steph,” Kerr said, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole. “Usually Steph, sometimes other players. People expecting to see vets. And then we have a back-to-back, and we don’t play him. I would just come out and tell the fans out there to be mindful (of the schedule) when you’re buying the tickets because we’ve got not just Steph, but we’ve got multiple vets we are going to try to manage because it’s the only way we can do this.”
Curry is not the only player affected. The roster leans on several veterans over 35. Al Horford is 40. Draymond Green is the youngest of the group at 36. Jimmy Butler is 37 and will not be a factor when the season opens on Oct. 21.
Warriors Slow Curry’s Ramp-Up
The plan starts with training camp. Curry has played 64 minutes in four preseason games. He reached a preseason-high 23 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers and appeared in a second half for the first time. Before a season, that number is usually closer to 30.
Kerr says the slower build is intentional. Curry is not taking as many full-court reps in practice, per Nick Friedell. The team has the knee in mind.
“We are purposely ramping up Steph more slowly this year, this training camp, than he’s used to,” Kerr said. “In the past, by this time he was already in such good playing shape and rhythm because of his routine and his work ethic.
The caution matters. Curry is 38. He missed 27 late-season games last year. Golden State went 37-45, and the team was 9-18 while he was out.
Kerr Plans Rest Nights
Expect few back-to-backs for Curry. There may be times when he misses consecutive games. Kerr says the team is scaling back his overall workload and looking for the sweet spot.
“We’re really scaling back his overall workload,” Kerr said, “and trying to find that sweet spot where he can still be in rhythm and be ready to play 32, 34 minutes without all the load that that comes. It’s a different approach.”
For Golden State, the goal is simple. Keep Curry healthy for the games that count.
Warriors Fans Get Stephen Curry Warning Before Buying Tickets