The Golden State Warriors are rolling and looking to make another championship run. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler are gelling as the team’s new 'big three' and there is once again hope about competing for another NBA title.
One of the few things that could stop this team from having a real shot at winning it all however is injuries. Stephen Curry is questionable for Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets, having been dealing with back soreness during Saturday's win over the New York Knicks.
The Warriors are going to have to make some important decisions over the coming weeks regarding how they will deal with his (and potentially their other star veterans) health issues as they head into the final weeks of the season.
Should the Warriors rest Stephen Curry before the playoffs?
It seems like Curry is just dealing with some normal back soreness, likely as a result of turning his play up a notch the last few weeks. Since the trade for Butler, the whole roster has increased their intensity on both ends of the floor which has resulted in 14 wins over the past 16 games.
Now the Warriors may be paying the price for some of that extra effort with Curry’s back soreness. This injury doesn’t seem to be a serious one, and the Warriors will be praying things stay that way while potentially wanting to take extra precautions just so things don’t get worse.
Right now the playoff race in the Western Conference is too close for comfort. Even with Golden State's recent winning streak, they are still just the sixth-seed in the Conference as the Minnesota Timberwolves sit tight on their heels and the L.A Clippers land just 1.5 games behind. The Warriors really want to avoid the Play-In Tournament, and every win (or loss) has huge implications for their playoff seeding.
Still, more important than their playoff position is that Curry is completely healthy before the playoffs start. This is where the Warriors dilemma comes into play. Do they play things safe with Curry and give him some nights off, or do they keep pushing for the best playoff seeding possible?
How the Warriors end up threading the needle between Curry’s health and regular season wins could determine their championship chances. We will see in time what they decide, but what is clear is that the Warriors have some important decisions to make as the season winds down.