The Golden State Warriors lost badly in Minnesota on Sunday, and one key factor that caused a lot of controversy during the fourth quarter and into the postgame was Stephen Curry’s playing time.
Curry did not play for more than thirty minutes in the Warriors’ 114-110 loss against the Timberwolves. When the two-time MVP returned more than five minutes into the final quarter, Minnesota had already outscored Golden State by twelve points during the crucial nine non-Curry minutes in the second half.
Upon learning that Kerr intended to restrict Curry’s minutes—he had averaged almost 33 this season and nearly 35 in 2022–23—many fans became enraged. Even though the 36-year-old was benched, he still finished the game with a game-high 31 points for his squad.
In response to questions posed during the game, Kerr rejected theories suggesting that the outcome might have been different had he introduced Curry back into the game sooner.