The Golden State Warriors hit on all cylinders in their season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers. In the 139-104 victory, Steve Kerr deployed a 12-year rotation. Although it seemed to work, and ESPN and All-NBA analyst Tim Legler thinks it worked well against Portland, such a strategy isn't dependable.
Legler's two words associated with Kerr's 12-man rotation were "not sustainable." In fairness to Legler, Kerr couldn't maintain a 12-player rotation during the Paris Olympics, sitting Tyrese Haliburton and 2024 NBA champion Jayson Tatum for multiple games. This strategy worked against the Trail Blazers' overall inexperience and lesser talent.
But pitting such a strategy against a playoff-caliber team could cause Kerr to eject from a stance of wishing to stick with such a rotation. While it makes sense for Kerr to do whatever it takes to rest Stephen Curry, the two-time MVP scoring 17 points won't cut it in most scenarios. Moreover, the luxury of resting the entire fourth quarter is more associated with the 2015-19 Warriors than the Buddy Hield sixth-man era.
This is not to say the Warriors won't have dominant performances, affording Curry ample rest, but you can't depend on such scenarios. Unless Andrew Wiggins can consistently shoot 57 percent from behind the 3-point line, Curry and Hield must remix the "Splash Bros" with the "Step-Splash Brothers," combining for the same percentage as the former Minnesota Timberwolves wing. Related: Buddy Hield Commends Warriors' 'Ego.
