Translator's Note: The original article was published in The Athletic. The data in the article are as of the time of publication of the original article (October 22, local time). The dates and times involved are all local time.
Steve Kerr has no illusions about the difficult age dilemma he will face in the future.
When you coach a group of NBA stars who are in their mid-30s and sixties, you have to accept the fact that time will always have a place in your rotation. Even if the Warriors' core lineup is still outstanding, it cannot change this fact.
In the opening game of the new season, Stephen Curry (37 years old), Jimmy Butler (35 years old) and Draymond Green (35 years old) joined forces to make a dynamic debut, defeating the Lakers (who lacked LeBron James) led by Luka Doncic 119-109. Their performance makes people wonder whether this Warriors can really challenge the defending champion Thunder in May and June. However, it was this coach who had coached the Warriors for many years who was the first to admit the cruel reality behind all this. Pushing veterans to their limits comes at a cost, as the Warriors learned in the most recent playoffs: Curry injured his hamstring in the second-round opener against the Timberwolves, ruining their real chance at a championship.
However, to truly understand what happened against the Timberwolves, you have to look back at the previous first-round game. It was a series-deciding Game 7 in Houston. The reason why a tiebreaker was needed was simply because the Warriors failed to win Game 6 at home, and the load on Curry was simply too great. He played 45 minutes and contributed 22 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and a plus-minus value of +16. This performance ended the Rockets' playoff journey. But this experience eventually became a lesson for them.
"Last year we actually entered the playoffs with all the players healthy," Kerr told The Athletic said in an interview, "Obviously we had a great victory against the Rockets afterwards. But I think the 44 minutes Stephen played in the tiebreaker and the cumulative consumption of the entire seven-game series were definitely one of the reasons for his injury."
It turns out that he didn't just think so. He knew this.
"Rick Celebrini (the Warriors' longtime director of player health and performance) shared this with me," Kerr said. "I asked him (about a possible connection) and he said, 'Absolutely, 100 percent.' So we have to do our best to limit playing time (this season)."
From that perspective, it's a double win.
Not only did the Warriors defeat the Lakers, who are widely regarded as one of the many teams to watch in the Western Conference, but they did so while achieving their stated goal of managing an aging roster. According to a Warriors official, the team has an internal goal to control the playing time of all veterans to 34 minutes or less.
Tonight, Curry (23 points, 4 assists, and hit a fatal three-pointer against Gabe Vincent at the last minute to end the game) played 32 minutes, Butler (31 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, plus-minus +20) played nearly 35 minutes, while Green (8 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, plus-minus +20) played 28 minutes. This is exactly the winning plan the team should follow in the uncertain months ahead.
If the Warriors needed a reminder of why age matters — and it doesn't — they need look no further than James' night on the Lakers' bench. The 40-year-old veteran, who is suffering from sciatica and missed the regular season opener for the first time in his storied 23-year career, sat in his exclusive chair and watched impassively as Doncic's individual brilliance eclipsed the Warriors' collective power.
This is more proof than anything else that this Warriors may really have the ability to create some chaos in the West, which is full of strong players. The premise is that they can stay healthy. But “staying healthy” may be the biggest variable.
"I remember (veteran NBA head coach and current Clippers assistant) Jeff Van Gundy said on TV years ago that the most important job of a coach is to lead the team to adjust the rhythm of the entire season," said Kerr, who is in the final year of his current contract. state. On those nights, we give a player a rest. So our job as coaches is a little easier now because we have all this information. But then again, God’s will cannot be violated. ”
Make no mistake, smart bets will still be on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder, Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets, Kevin Durant’s Rockets, Anthony Edwards’ Timberwolves, or even the unexpectedly strong Clippers in the West. But the best part about the Warriors is that you can easily imagine them shocking the basketball world with their evergreen style of play.
In particular, some of the young people on the team are ready to make key contributions, which may be the key to determining the success or failure of the season. Kuminga, even after a tumultuous offseason, may still be the best of the bunch.
This summer, the 23-year-old player has attracted much attention. After months of tug-of-war during his restricted free agency, he signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract (with a team option on the second year). After that, he played 33 minutes and scored 17 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and a plus-minus value of +4, which was indeed impressive.
In addition to his statistical contribution, Cole's praise of his maturity after the game is also a clear sign of his progress.
Although many people had thought that Kuminga would be traded before the trade deadline in February, the Warriors believe that there are currently not many players worthy of their exchange for Kuminga. One obvious name, according to team sources, is the Milwaukee big man (Giannis Antetokounmpo), as his future with the Bucks is uncertain. Any potential discussion of him coming to the Bay Area would inevitably involve a trade package that would send Kuminga (and more) back to Milwaukee.
In addition, another frequently mentioned name is Pelicans small forward Trey Murphy. The fifth-year player will bring much-needed shooting and defense to this team. His current contract will last until the 2028-29 season, with a salary of up to $31 million in the final season. This long-term contract will allow the Warriors to keep him on the team stably in the next few years. But if Kuminga can perform like this — more specifically, score 13 points on all five of his shots like he did in the third quarter — then the answer may ultimately lie within the team. The coming months will determine the course of this delicate situation.
For now, with the Warriors' old and new players coming together in such an impressive way early in the season, they've set the tone for a championship run. Now comes the real test: They need to continue that momentum and try to stay healthy over the next eight months.
"I've always felt that with Draymond, Steph and Jimmy here, we have a chance against any opponent," Cole said in an interview with The Athletic said in an interview, "But I also know that when you have to go through a two-month playoff journey, 25 years old helps. That's why our young people are so important. BP (Brandin Bodemski), JK (Jonathan Kuminga) and Moses (Moody, The fifth-year guard is out with a calf strain). So you just have to do your best, and I'm proud of this team because we're still here to compete, and that's something that's rewarding in itself - regardless of the outcome."
Written by Sam. Amick
Translator: GWayNe
source:Best Web Games