The Golden State Warriors narrowly defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-115 on the road, improving their record to 20 wins and 20 losses, ranking 10th in the Western Conference and surpassing the Phoenix Suns. At the start of the season, the Warriors and Suns were the hottest teams in the West, once ranking in the top two, while the Thunder had not yet made a push. However, after the Thunder's surge and the rise of young teams like the Rockets, the Warriors continued to decline, and the Suns suffered even more, dropping from first in the West to missing out on the play-in tournament. Now, the Warriors and Suns are truly in a difficult situation.
The good thing for the Warriors is that they do not need to pay luxury tax this season, and the team's finances are quite healthy. Naturally, making the playoffs would be great, as it would delight the owner with ticket sales. If they don't make it, it's not a big deal; they can try again next year. The Suns, on the other hand, have paid 188millioninluxurytax,withtotalspendingexceeding400 million, setting a historical record. Even at their peak, the Warriors never spent that much money, so the Suns are even more anxious than the Warriors. If both teams are really struggling, should they consider merging?
Bringing Kevin Durant back to the Warriors would only require the Suns to give up some of the Warriors' assets, which would mean the return of the "Universe Warriors," despite the fact that both Durant and Curry are getting older, both born in 1988. It's better than struggling like this, and Curry has not given up. After the game today, he fiercely criticized the outside world. Because the Warriors almost lost their 22-point lead to the Timberwolves, but Curry shot 10 of 21, including 7 of 12 from three-point range, scoring 31 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists, and 1 steal. In the fourth quarter, when the Timberwolves were catching up, Curry hit two crucial three-pointers to secure the victory.
After the game, Curry said, "The outside world has been telling us what to do, and now I want to tell those people who say we need to trade. You need to quiet down; we will take care of everything. Trading is D'Angelo Russell's responsibility; we just focus on playing well, whether we trade or not. Today, we showed what resilience means; we have been an excellent team for a long time. Those who say I am content to stay on an average team are crazy. I don't think the Warriors are finished; I know we are very competitive, and we will prove it in the playoffs. As long as we regain the feeling from previous years, we will defeat any team."
Today, Edwards scored 28 points and 8 rebounds on 7 of 19 shooting, indeed being suppressed by the veteran Curry. After the game, Coach Kerr also said not to think that the Warriors have given up on this season, hope, or the desire to win the championship. Although Curry and Kerr's words may not mean much, the reality in front of them is harsh. It is obvious that it is now the era of young players, and the Warriors' old legs can no longer keep up. Draymond Green keeps getting injured, and Curry also needs rest to recover his energy.
Curry did indeed carry the team to victory today, but can he keep doing this every game? Kerr believes that it was inappropriate to let Curry play for so long recently, but there is no other way right now. Once the Warriors' roster is healthy, they will reduce Curry's playing time. However, the problem now is not how long Curry plays, but the limited configuration of the Warriors. Unless they can get a strong center or bring Durant back, the "sunset red team" still has a glimmer of hope.
Otherwise, it will be difficult for the Warriors to make waves with this lineup. Another point is the Warriors' owner, who is unwilling to continue investing in Curry? To bet on future assets? What is clear is that he is unwilling. If the Warriors were still paying a huge luxury tax this year, the owner would continue to go all-in. But now, with healthy salaries and a chance to make the playoffs, why would the owner bet on future draft picks? Letting Curry continue to play for a few more years, the Warriors can earn more money through him before completely rebuilding, which is the only path in front of the Warriors. Perhaps Curry also knows this, but as a player, he has no choice but to continue fighting.