Staggering Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell’s minutes is a must

There aren’t many things that Steve Kerr must do to ensure success, but staggering Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell is one of them.

The Golden State Warriors could easily still have the most star-studded team. Three of their players were 2019 All-Stars and Green is still easily considered one of the league’s best all-around players. However, they don’t have the elite playmaking they did last season.

That said, head coach Steve Kerr will have to get creative with how he operates his lineups this season. While it seems unimportant, how he staggers his lineup throughout the game will factor into every game throughout the season.

Until Klay Thompson returns, it’ll be immensely important for Steve Kerr to correctly stagger the minutes of Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell, the team’s two high-level, playmaking point guards.

Russell averaged 21.1 points per game last season and earned his first All-Star appearance. Joining Golden State off a sign-and-trade, Russell will play an important factor in the team’s offense immediately.

However, at the one, the Warriors have the beloved two-time MVP Stephen Curry. Curry averaged over 35 points per game during the Western Conference Finals and has averaged over 25 points per game for the past FOUR seasons.

The problem with the Warriors, once again, is their depth. They can’t seem to get a quality bench with mediocre playmaking. For that reason and because they have two ball-dominant guards, the Dubs need to play either Russell or Curry, not both at the same time.

Russell likely won’t start on the bench, but he may hit the floor with the second unit, playing the bulk of the first quarter. Or, Russell may hit the bench just five or so minutes into the game and then finish the first and half the second with the bench.

Those seem like the two possible options. Curry will stick with the starting unit and then Kerr can find a way to put them both on the court to finish off the game. However, that could result in a defensive nightmare for the Dubs, which obviously wouldn’t be ideal.

Either way, the Warriors’ two guards can play off-ball, but that isn’t necessarily their strength. During the postseason, we say an aggressive Curry in the pick-and-roll and fans will want the team to replicate that immense success.

Overall, it’s what must happen, and it’s likely what will happen come fall.