Warriors slip nearer to the ‘different finish of the standings’

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after scoring in the course of the first half of an NBA basketball sport in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Abbie Parr)

MINNEAPOLIS — All Steph Curry might do was watch from the Golden State bench throughout a takeover led by Minnesota’s subs early within the fourth quarter.

The Warriors have slipped into precarious place for the postseason, and so they’re having a tough time discovering their footing on this unfamiliar spot.

Beginning a five-games-in-eight-days journey, coach Steve Kerr exercised warning along with his 10-time All-Star level guard by extending the 36-year-old’s relaxation interval properly into the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves, coincidentally or not, had a plus-12 benefit throughout his final absence of the sport on Sunday.

By the point Curry checked again in with 6:54 to go, the Warriors trailed by eight factors. They fell 114-110 to the Wolves, their sixth loss of their final 9 video games. In a 12-point loss at house to Indiana on Friday, Curry performed 35 minutes.

READ: Timberwolves hit 23 triples, overcome Warriors

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) walks throughout the court docket after lacking a shot try to tie the sport in the course of the ultimate seconds of an NBA basketball sport in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Abbie Parr)

“We’ve obtained nice gamers on the market, so we are able to’t anticipate to only experience Steph sport after sport after sport. These previous few weeks have been actually robust on him. We’ve put the burden of this franchise on his shoulders for 15 years. We are able to’t anticipate him to play 35 minutes,” Kerr stated. “If you wish to say that him taking part in half-hour as an alternative of 32 is the distinction in a win and a loss, I completely disagree with that. We’re attempting to win the sport. We’re attempting to maintain him recent too.”

Curry acknowledged some delicate shock by his barely prolonged keep on the bench, however he additionally appeared to understand the larger image Kerr was alluding to.

“I performed the entire fourth quarter in opposition to Indiana — that didn’t work out. This didn’t work out. So we’ve obtained to search out someplace within the center,” Curry stated with a slight smile.

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The Warriors (36-34) are only one sport forward of surging Houston for tenth place within the Western Convention and a spot within the play-in event.

“The scenario will outline itself fairly clearly, and it’s form of in actual time,” Curry stated. “Each sport issues. We’re inching nearer to the opposite finish of the standings that we by no means thought we’d be in, so no person’s going to wave the white flag and say you’re mailing it in. If meaning taking part in extra minutes, then I’ll be prepared to do this.”

This has been a attempting season on and off the court docket for the Warriors, who handled two suspensions for sparkplug Draymond Inexperienced after which the sudden loss of life of assistant coach Dejan Milojević. They appear awfully distant from their fourth NBA title in eight years that they gained in 2022.

“In an effort to win it’s a must to construct good habits,” Inexperienced stated. “I don’t suppose we now have nice habits.”