NBA Rumors: Warriors Say Privately: ‘They Can’t Play This Way Forever’ During 7-1 Start | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Depth has been the key to the Golden State Warriors’ hot start.

The Warriors are 7-1 and are fresh off a win over the defending champion Boston Celtics. The entire roster has contributed to this, as the team consistently plays eleven players a night and has even reached thirteen players on some occasions.

While this has been very effective, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported that the team knows this is not a sustainable approach, but it could help the aging roster manage the regular season schedule and potentially return to contention in the Western Conference.

“Privately, the Warriors admit they know they can’t play this way forever,” Bontemps wrote. “But what proves true is that this strategy can help get through the grind of the 82-game regular season and help Golden State become a force in the West.”

Star guard Stephen Curry acknowledged that the grind of the season has forced rotations to “get smaller,” Bontemps said, but the varied usage has certainly helped him stay at the top of his game. Curry is averaging 21.2 points, seven assists and 5.2 rebounds through five games while playing 27.6 minutes per game.

Curry has only played less than 30 minutes per game in one season during his NBA career and that number will likely increase as the season progresses. However, the lower usage should help the 36-year-old stay fresh as the season progresses.

This will be crucial for a Warriors team that fell in the 2023-2024 Play-In Tournament. The franchise has been in that round in the two seasons following the 2021-2022 NBA Championship, and avoiding it could help the team make a potential run in the postseason.

Golden State is currently tied for third place in the Western Conference. While it’s still very early, it’s still a good sign for a team that may have some more success left in the tank.