Stephen Curry
Curry is the Warriors' first option when he plays, but the club has said he will sit some of the 15 back-to-back sets this season, so his availability is the main variable.
Role
He started Friday's loss to Memphis, alongside Podziemski, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, Green and Graham Ike (Yahoo Sports, Oct. 25). Kerr has said Curry and other veterans won't play both ends of every back-to-back (Bay Area News Group via rg.org). Saturday's absence at Phoenix was the second night of one such set. I found no reported minutes or usage figures for this season, so I'm not stating any. Our data shows only 2 GP last season, which is too small a sample to guide a role. Press Democrat reporting says Melton, Richard, Brandon Williams and Gary Payton II absorb his minutes when he sits, per RotoWire. Butler and Moody are out with knee injuries, per the Press Democrat.
When Curry plays he is the offense on a thin, injury-hit roster, with Butler and Moody out and other vets also resting. Kerr describes the rest as planned management, not a new injury. He started Friday and was not listed with an injury designation.
He is 38 and Kerr is openly planning absences. Press Democrat reporting calls the Warriors a frail team and says nights like Saturday will come "with some regularity." Arizona Sports notes he missed 39 games last season with a right knee injury, which is why management is cautious. Our data shows 2 GP last season. With a depleted supporting cast, the load on him in games he does play could also raise his injury risk.
Where analysts split
Broad agreement on the role: he is the focal point, he sits some back-to-backs, and the vets are being managed. I found no analyst argument over his usage. The open question is how many games he misses beyond the 15 back-to-back sets, and no one I found has answered it.
Injury: Out: assessed ignore
Rest, back-to-back maintenance
Curry is getting a standard maintenance day on the first night of a back-to-back and is expected to return Monday versus Phoenix, consistent with Kerr's stated plan for resting veterans on back-to-backs.
What would change this: Confirmation he plays Monday against the Suns
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at PG
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