Warriors depth should allow them to limit use of aging stars
All three of the Warriors‘ Big 3 missed significant time last season with an injury, and this upcoming season, they should be allowed to reduce their minutes and keep a record that would get them home-court advantage in the first round.
While Klay Thompson was the most notable injury, he returned in January and didn’t have a setback after that as the Dubs eased him into the rotation. Thompson ended up playing a critical role in the rotation and had several big-time close-out games.
The Golden State Warriors Big 3 are aging, and with the depth that they have on the roster, the Dubs should be able to keep their aging veterans rested.
Thompson’s injury was a torn Achilles which he sustained leading up to the season prior. His injuries started with a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, a play many know well.
As for other injuries, two-time MVP Stephen Curry had a foot sprain that left him sidelined for several weeks right before the playoffs. All-Star forward Draymond Green also had a lower back injury that kept him out for weeks.
The Dubs did get some luck on their side as starting center Kevon Looney played all 82 games and stayed healthy into the playoffs. He had just 81 games combined in the two seasons prior as he dealt with a slew of injuries.
34, Curry topped 34 minutes per game this season. As he ages, that just won’t be sustainable. As for Green and Thompson, they both were over 28 minutes per game. This coming season, things will hopefully change, and all three see around 28-30.
At every position, the Warriors will have rising stars, so there’s hope that they should be able to compete with whatever unit is on the court.
The Dubs have been lucky with their recent lack of successful seasons over the past few seasons mixed with their core players finally being able to stay on the court.
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It has been quintessential timing for Golden State, and while it will set them up for difficulty down the road, it may also ease the workload that the Big 3 have to carry as they age further into their 30s.