Stephen Curry is one of three Golden State Warriors who will be on a minutes restriction in the team’s play-in game against the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Sunday that Curry, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford will all play fewer than 40 minutes in the must-win game.
The game is a rematch of Sunday’s regular-season finale won by the Clippers 115-110. If the Warriors lose, a season the team would likely like to forget ends. Golden State clinched the last of four play-in berths at 37-45.
The Injury Ravaged Season
Curry has been battling knee injuries most of the season, and Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in early January. Horford has been dealing with a calf injury while Draymond Green and Porzingis have both been nursing sore backs.
The litany of injuries has decimated the Warriors’ roster. Curry missed 27 consecutive games earlier this season. Butler is out for the year. Porzingis has been in and out of the lineup. Horford, at 39, has needed careful management.
The result is a 37-45 record, the No. 10 seed, and a play-in game that could be their last of the season.
Kerr’s Stance: A Broken Record
The Warriors have attempted to manage the minutes of their aging superstars all season, and the play-in game is no different. Kerr has been vocal about the league needing to adopt a shorter regular-season schedule to prevent such injuries.
“I know this will not be a popular opinion in the league office, but I will continue to say it because it’s obvious we need to play fewer games—we need to take 10 games off the schedule,” he said in March. “I think it would be a more competitive and healthier league if we played fewer games.”
Kerr’s argument is simple: fewer games would mean fewer injuries, better quality of play, and a longer shelf life for the league’s aging superstars. The NBA has not yet acted on his suggestion, but the Warriors’ injury-plagued season is a case study in support of his position.
The Clippers: Resting and Ready
For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard rested for the final games of the season in preparation for the play-in. Leonard averaged a career-high 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists during a mostly healthy season in which he played his second-most games as a Clipper. He played 68 games two seasons ago after being limited to 37 in 2024-25 because of injuries.
The contrast between the two teams could not be starker. The Clippers are healthy, rested, and have home-court advantage. The Warriors are banged up, on a minutes restriction, and fighting for their playoff lives.
The Minutes Restriction: A Necessary Evil
Kerr’s decision to limit Curry, Porzingis, and Horford to fewer than 40 minutes is a recognition of reality. Curry is 38 years old and just returned from a two-month absence. Porzingis has been limited to 32 games this season due to illness and Achilles tendinitis. Horford is 39 and has been nursing a calf injury.
Playing them heavy minutes in a single-elimination game is a risk. But playing them limited minutes might be an even bigger risk. The Warriors need their best players on the floor to have a chance against the Clippers.
Kerr is walking a tightrope. He cannot afford to lose the game, but he also cannot afford to lose his players to further injury.
The Verdict: A Tall Order
The Warriors are massive underdogs. The Clippers are healthier, deeper, and have home-court advantage. Golden State’s three best players will be on minutes restrictions. And the season is on the line.
Curry has made a career out of defying expectations. He has carried teams that had no business winning. But this might be his toughest challenge yet.
He will play fewer than 40 minutes. He will have to be efficient. He will have to be Superman in a shorter window.
The Warriors’ season depends on it.
Wednesday night cannot come soon enough. And for Curry, Porzingis, and Horford, the clock is already ticking.