“I’m not worried about it,” said Steph Curry after the Phoenix Suns game about his bilateral tendonitis. After sitting out a game because of pain in both knees, Curry returned to the court and dropped 23 points in 32 minutes. Despite his efforts, the Warriors couldn’t avoid a fourth consecutive loss, falling 113-105 to the Suns at the Footprint Center on Saturday.
via Imago
The 36-year-old admitted that tendinitis in both knees is something entirely new for him, but he’s staying proactive. But why does the 2x MVP seem so nonchalant about this issue? Well. this is where Rick Celebrini, Director of Sports Medicine for the Warriors comes in. Anthony Slater revealed on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast “Rick Celebrini is like trying to calm them down. They’re barking at him a little bit, and that’s obviously why he sat the other day and he even said “look the deeper you get into your career, the more things pop up”.”
He further explained, “I think for him to go in detail about it and just admit it something that you know they’re they’re like, it’s a maintenance thing right now game 19 in the season.” Even Curry shared that the Warriors’ VP of player health and performance, Celebrini has designed a plan to tackle the issue early.
Looks like the Warriors want him at his best when the time comes for him to show everyone why he’s one of the best in the game. That time could be big matches or playoffs, we don’t know for sure. So we can rest easy for now, the 4x champ will get through this with enough rest. Nevertheless, Curry & Co will have to rally to overturn their current slump. Amidst their downturn in fortunes, questions have popped up over Kerr’s efficiency and tactical acumen. The Warriors HC even responded to lingering questions over his rotation.
Steve Kerr responds to Stephen Curry’s criticism of his 13-man rotation
Stephen Curry recently addressed questions from The Athletic’s Anthony Slater about Steve Kerr’s 13-man rotation, which has been under scrutiny. After the Warriors slid to their fourth consecutive loss, Curry hinted at the need for changes. “We’ve lost four in a row, so adjustments have to happen—whatever that looks like,” Curry said, emphasizing the importance of staying prepared. For a player known for his diplomacy, this was as close to a critique of Kerr’s strategy as it gets.
via Imago
Kerr didn’t shy away from the topic and even reflected on his own playing days. “When you lose, guys are (expletive). That’s just life in the NBA,” he remarked, acknowledging the frustration brewing in the locker room. Kerr argued that such discontent is normal but defended his rotation, saying, “Four games ago, we were on top of the world. Everybody’s happy. Now we’ve lost four in a row. Everybody’s (expletive).” It’s classic Kerr—keeping his eyes on the bigger picture even as outside voices, like ESPN’s Tim Legler, question the rotation’s sustainability.
The loss of De’Anthony Melton, who suffered an ACL tear, has only added to the chaos. His absence has left a gaping hole in the rotation and made Kerr’s strategy feel like a Band-Aid rather than a solution. Since Melton went down, the Warriors have stumbled to a 3-5 record, exposing cracks in their system. Let’s be real—balancing minutes and keeping the bench involved is no small feat, but Kerr’s strategy is losing steam.
And then there’s Curry. If he’s not fully on board, how long can this approach really last? The Warriors are chasing another title, not just trying to survive the season. At this point, Kerr might need to rethink the experiment before it costs them more ground in the loaded Western Conference. What’s your take—should they go all in on a tighter rotation?
