Golden State Warriors: 5 Takeaways From Game 2 vs. Rockets
1. Play It By Ear With Curry
Had the Rockets stormed into Oracle in Game 2, handed the Dubs their third home loss of the 2015-16 campaign and knotted the series up at 1-1, there would’ve been a lot more pressure on Curry to suit up for Game 3. Now that the Warriors took care of business and have a 2-0 series lead, they’d be wise to think about resting their MVP for Game 3 too.
As was the case after Game 1, Curry’s health should take precedence over the result of any game — especially in a series that’s basically all but wrapped up. We’ve already covered how the Rockets have basically given up, so it’s imperative that Curry’s eagerness to get back on the court doesn’t give way to an impatient decision that hurts the Warriors’ title pursuit.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he wants to make sure Stephen Curry's ankle "is right" and when he plays next is based on health, not series.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) April 19, 2016
Fortunately, head coach Steve Kerr seems to be on the same page in that respect. While Curry missing Game 2 automatically made it a lot less interesting, it’s really in everyone’s best interest if he doesn’t rush back.
On the other hand, however, with home-court advantage switching back to Houston, it’s also in the Dubs’ best interest to wrap up this series as quickly as possible. That would provide Curry and the rest of the roster with more rest before a second round series against the Clippers or Blazers, and it’d prevent this current series from extending beyond the necessary four games.
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With Curry back on the floor, the Dubs are pretty much destined for a four-game sweep that would pay off in the long run. But unless he’s absolutely 100 percent healthy, the Warriors should let him rest and continue to ride their role players and otherworldly chemistry to victory over a floundering Houston squad.