The Warriors’ plan to use a 12-man rotation was bound to hit a wall.
Challenges of the Rotation Strategy:
Experts warned that this approach could negatively impact players like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, preventing them from finding their groove. The team has only managed to keep one five-player lineup on the court for over 70 minutes across 19 games. In contrast, the Celtics have had their starting lineup together for 163 minutes, with four other lineups playing at least 30 minutes each. This difference shows how consistency helps teams find rhythm while constant changes do not.
Golden State’s unique rotations mean no player averages even 30 minutes per game. Stephen Curry leads with just under 30 minutes, followed by Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. While this might help avoid tiredness, it doesn’t help in tight matches. For instance, Kuminga played less than 12 minutes in the first three quarters against the Suns but was then asked to play nearly seven minutes in the fourth quarter. He scored eight points but couldn’t change the game’s outcome as they lost 113-105.
Curry Speaks Out:
Afterward, Curry admitted that using so many players disrupts some teammates’ rhythm: “Do we need to shorten it? We probably need to be more predictable on a night-to-night basis so guys can get a little bit of a rhythm.”
Steph Curry on the 13-man rotation: โDo we need to shorten it? We probably need to be more predictable on a night-to-night basis so guys can get a little bit of a rhythm. Is that shortening it one or two guys? Maybe.โ
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater)
Fans think it’s time for Steve Kerr to rethink his strategy because it’s clear that too many changes aren’t helping anyone.
Reevaluating Team Strategy:
Imagine if Curry played only briefly before being expected to perform miracles in crunch time; it wouldn’t make sense! Coaches usually prefer having set groups play together so they can learn each other’s moves and work better as a team during games. Although Steve Kerr deserves credit for trying something newโespecially since it worked initially when they started strong at 12-3โthe recent four-game losing streak suggests it’s time for adjustments.
Sometimes sticking with what works best is smarter than trying something new just because you can!
