Steve Kerr Acknowledges Steph Curry’s Fatigue, Calls Warriors’ Offensive Adjustments Unfair to Star Player

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr addressed concerns about star player Steph Curry’s recent performance, acknowledging the toll of the long NBA season and expressing empathy for the burden placed on Curry’s shoulders. Kerr cited Curry’s unique playing style and the challenges posed by integrating young players into the team’s system.

Kerr noted that Curry, like any player, experiences spells where he may not be at his best, attributing some of it to the natural fatigue that sets in over a grueling season. He emphasized the unfair burden placed on Curry, particularly in the absence of vocal leader Draymond Green, who is currently serving a suspension.

“I think there’s a little fatigue, it’s a long season,” Kerr said. “Usually every year he has a couple spells where he’s not on his game, and that’s just natural for any player. But I think we’ve thrown a ton on his shoulders. The burden that Steph Curry has on him for this franchise is unfair. The Draymond suspension – Draymond is the vocal leader of the team, obviously. He and Steph have kinda been co-captaining the leadership of our group for a decade. So without Draymond here, that adds a lot more to Steph’s plate.”

The coach highlighted Curry’s distinctive playing style, focusing on the importance of the “play after the play” in Curry’s game. Kerr expressed frustration with certain player combinations that haven’t fully grasped the nuances of Curry’s style, leading to suboptimal offensive outcomes. Kerr pointed out that Curry’s game involves thriving both on and off the ball, and the team needs to recognize and adapt to this aspect of his playing style.

“We’re trying to integrate a lot of young players,” Kerr added. “Steph has a very unique style. It’s the play after the play that matters with Steph. We’ve put him in some combinations where the play after the play isn’t happening, and that’s frustrating for him. He’s not James Harden or Luka [Doncic]. We’re not just gonna run high pick and roll and spread the floor and he’s gonna dribble 700 times, that’s not his game. He has to thrive off the ball just as he does on the ball. Frankly, we’ve had some combinations out there that don’t recognize that as well as certain combinations.”

In conclusion, Kerr stressed the tremendous contributions Curry has made to the Warriors over the past decade, emphasizing that the team needs to be mindful not to overload him with responsibilities. The coach acknowledged that much of the Warriors’ success has been built around Curry and urged the team to find a balance that allows him to excel without putting too much on his plate.