Stephen Curry missed his 11th consecutive game tonight due to patella-femoral pain syndrome, also known as runner’s knee, as the Warriors host the Clippers at Chase Center. According to the official update, Curry is set for a reevaluation after 10 days as his injury situation slowly progresses.
According to Matt Steinmetz of 95.7 The Game, the Warriors would love to rest Curry as long as possible, but may not go as far as sitting him out for the rest of the season.
“The bottom line to me is, people are saying they are tanking. I don’t think they’re tanking. People are saying Steph is going to get shut down, but I don’t think Steph is getting shut down.”
“They’re the eighth seed in the West right now. They have a couple of games between them and the seventh, and them and the ninth. To me, it is apparent what is happening here. They’re going to rest Steph as long as they can, and then mid to late-March, maybe early April, he’ll come back.”
“And at that point, they hope to still be at eighth and hope to win one play-in game. The goal right now is easy: It’s about making the playoffs. If they make the playoffs, they will be able to live with themselves.”
The Warriors are currently 31-29 for the season (23-16 when Curry is available and 8-13 in his absence) and do not look like title contenders. Jimmy Butler is sidelined for the season, Kristaps Porzingis is recovering from his illness, and there are no positive signs beyond rare outbursts from veteran players like Al Horford or De’Anthony Melton.
They are a first-round exit at best and may fall to become a play-in team as well. With such a limited range of expectations from the team currently, they are in no position to rush Curry’s return.
But NBCS’ Monte Poole believes the option could still be on the table, considering how old their core players are, and I agree with that sentiment. At age 37, Stephen Curry is currently averaging 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 46.8% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc.
Rushing Curry’s return only to win a play-in game for an eventual first-round exit is not the best decision, in my opinion. Approaching age 38, Curry also needs to regulate his availability to perform at his best during the most important games.
The NBA is not a league of participation trophies. Just making the playoffs without competing for the title is likely no longer an achievement that Curry deems worthy of recognition. Especially when the best of his supporting cast is not healthy.
Moreover, the Warriors are perfectly equipped to barely make the play-in tournament even without Curry, in my opinion. Considering the gap between them and the 11th-placed Grizzlies, who are eight wins behind them, it is unlikely that they will let off on that lead to give up the 10th seed and fall to a lottery position.
Furthermore, there might be some benefits to tanking as well. Other than a conditional 2030 first-round pick, the Warriors have all of their own draft picks for the next six seasons.
Falling into the lottery zone would only increase the value of their assets, which they reportedly plan to use to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo in the summer. Therefore, giving Curry a better supporting cast to compete with next season.
Thus, the Warriors must consider shutting him down for the regular season at least if they are setting their eyes on the play-in tournament, if not a lottery position.
