The Golden State Warriors have started the season 12-0 while reigning MVP Stephen Curry is averaging 33.7 points per game, so why is there room for concern?
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This is now the third best start to a season by a defending champion, and ultimately the Warriors have had an answer for every team that they have faced even when significantly tested by the likes of the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors.
As a result, things are looking good for interim coach Luke Walton and the squad ahead of Thursday’s game with the Los Angeles Clippers. However, in the bigger picture there is an issue that could come to prominence further down the line.
Last season, Curry in particular was rested in fourth quarters as the Warriors continued to start quick and build big leads over their rivals. The 27-year-old hasn’t been afforded that luxury quite to the same level so far this year, and he logged 40 minutes in the win over the Raptors on Tuesday night following on from a 40-plus minutes display in the overtime win over the Nets.
Draymond Green featured for 35 minutes, Klay Thompson played 34 minutes, Harrison Barnes was on the court for 32 while Andre Iguodala came off the bench to play for 32 minutes too.
As easy as some of the wins may seem for the Warriors, they are being forced to earn them and that in turn sees the main protagonist on this roster playing extended minutes. While it may not seem like a big deal at this point, this is a Golden State roster primed to go again and make it back-to-back championships.
That means 82 games in the regular season and a deep playoff run. If Curry continues to play big minutes, will that not come back to haunt him and show in his performances come May?
It also ties in with the unbeaten run. While it is a proud achievement for this team to protect their 0 for as long as possible, there comes a point where it arguably turns into a hindrance. The coaching staff and players all know that the main goal is winning a championship, but making history and keeping this run going has to be playing on their minds too.
As a result, it may be placing too much strain on them physically and mentally, and as disappointing as it will be to see it end, it may well turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Naturally, there is an argument to suggest that these players are supreme athletes and maybe their is a strategy to ease up on their minutes later in the season as well as giving them night offs down the stretch if seeding is secured.
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However, Draymond Green conceded after the win over Toronto that things are “getting tougher and tougher” each game as every team comes into a match-up with the Warriors wanting to be the side that ends their run and ‘dethrones’ the champions. That is undoubtedly going to impact on the level of fatigue in the Warriors camp, and we may well see them play with less pressure and more freely once their unbeaten run comes to an end.