CLEVELAND — Steve Kerr doesn’t like being the bad guy and he sympathizes with fans upset that NBA teams are letting their stars rest.
The Golden State coach has a solution. It’s about reducing the number of matches.
Kerr rose to superstardom after Warriors lost in overtime in Boston on Thursday night Stephen Curry with the starter draymond green, Klay Thompson When Andrew Wiggins Friday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Curry, who recently returned after missing 11 games with a shoulder injury, played 43 minutes in the Warriors’ 121-118 loss to the Celtics and scored 29 points in last season’s NBA Finals rematch that Golden State won. bottom.
Kerr’s decision meant fans were deprived of seeing Curry put into a shooting clinic, much like Curry did at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse during last year’s All-Star Game. Our only visit to Cleveland.
“I feel terrible for fans who buy tickets expecting to see someone play and can’t see that person play,” Kerr said. “It’s a brutal part of the business. That’s why I’m going to continue to defend the 72-game season.”
Kerr’s rationale is that shorter seasons protect player health, balance schedules and improve the overall quality of play. Most importantly, the game keeps players fresh for a more meaningful playoff.
“If you take 10 games off the schedule, and you have 10 games left this year, I feel like everybody had it anyway,” he said. I think you’ll be missing a lot less games.”
that’s all jordan pool It was available in the starter that Kerr used against the Celtics. Poole also in Boston where he played 43 minutes.
Kerr has been juggling rotations lately, balancing getting players back from injuries and giving them plenty of rest. Curry hurt his shoulder and Wiggins missed 15 games with a muscle strain in his leg and a non-COVID illness.
Kerr has also tried to keep the team out of season-long funk. The Warriors are 22-23 and 5-18.
He said the decision to rest four players against the Cavs had nothing to do with the loss to the Celtics.
“You can’t operate like that,” he said. “I know it’s been a big topic all over the league. We have so much data. There’s so much awareness of player vulnerability. Guys back to back and banging. It has been proven that players are much more likely to get injured if they are forced to miss more games and that is why we see it across the league.
“Everyone is on guard when a man gets hit. You’re just playing the long game.”
Cavaliers sit at star guard while Warriors are serious shorthanded Donovan Mitchell Two games in a row with tense crotch.
Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff believes there are greater benefits to giving players more rest. Extending a career gives fans the chance to look like they’ve been playing longer.
“If you look at them, some guys have been playing for 15 years, some guys have been playing for 20 years,” he said. “So the trade-off is five games a season, and the players will play five more years. I can do it, so I think it’s worth the money.”
“From our standpoint, we know we only get to see the team once a year. I think it will be of greater benefit to the game.” I think it’s good for the game to play for years and seasons. ”
Cleveland also no reserve guard Ricky Rubio, recently returned after missing a year after knee surgery. The Cavaliers are wary of the Grizzlies and his 12-minute Rubio.
