The Golden State Warriors have a sprint to the finish line ahead. They sit seventh in the Western Conference standings, with only half a game separating the sixth-seed L.A. Clippers and the 10th-seed Dallas Mavericks.
Given their relatively easy schedule and current good form, the Warriors may be in the best position of those teams battling for the all important sixth-seed to avoid the Play-In Tournament.
3 Warriors who need less minutes in Steve Kerr's rotation
There's no doubt that Golden State will have to bring their best over the final 22 games, and subsequently we should see a shortened rotation from Steve Kerr particularly once Jonathan Kuminga makes his long-awaited return from injury.
Without Kuminga or the recently acquired Jimmy Butler, Kerr went 11-deep in the rotation during the first-half of Saturday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. While the likes of Kevin Knox and Pat Spencer are sure to be out of a full-strength Warrior rotation, there's a few more bigger-name players who should see their minutes reduced.
1. Draymond Green
This flies in the face of the idea that the Warriors need to be urgent and play their best players as much as possible over the remainder of the season. While that's the case, Green may be the exception when it comes to the veteran trio of he, Butler and Stephen Curry.
The veteran forward is likely to play heavy minutes as a small-ball center in the playoffs, which will require him to be in the best possible condition physically. Green has averaged nearly 31 minutes over the last 12 games, and while that isn't totally exorbitant, Golden State have enough alternative options to try and manage the 34-year-old's minutes down to 27-28 per game.
Between the soon to return Kuminga, the development of Quinten Post and Gui Santos, the ever-reliable Kevon Looney, and Moses Moody who's been getting some power forward minutes recently, the Warriors could cut back Green's minutes to prime him for the playoffs.
2. Buddy Hield
Kerr is always going to play Buddy Hield for some minutes, such is the way defenses still respect his 3-point shooting in a way they do for no other Warrior player outside Curry. In saying that, the 31-year-old has shot just 32.1% since December 1 (41 games).
Combine that with his defensive deficiencies and Hield should be a bit-part role player at best. Fortunately Kerr has started to realize this in recent weeks, yet his 23.3 minutes per game over the last 10 may still be five or six minutes minutes too many.
3. Gui Santos
In further evidence of his development this season, Gui Santos actually closed in Saturday's loss to the 76ers having finished with 14 points in 17 minutes. The Brazilian forward's hustle, energy and 3-point shooting has earned him an average of 16.4 minutes over the last 10 games, but they could dissipate entirely once Kuminga returns from injury.