Golden State Warriors Mailbag: Rest, Rotation, Speights

Apr 25, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) walks off the court after a win against the New Orleans Pelicans game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Smoothie King Center. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 109-98. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Extra rest in the playoffs can sometimes be a curse and a blessing. It can also vary by team. If a team is an older team or a team that has some players dealing with minor, nagging injuries, then rest can be extremely helpful and allows players to become fully healthy heading into their next playoff series.

However, there’s always the possibility that too much rest can disrupt a team’s rhythm, which they built in the previous series. If a team doesn’t play for a week, like in the Warriors’ case, that can cause the players to get out of rhythm, as they’re not exposed to normal game play on a regular basis.

More from Golden State Warriors

• Warriors unlikely to draft Anthony Edwards due to character concerns
• Warriors: September minicamp mimics NBA bubble
• Warriors: Eric Paschall named to NBA All-Rookie first team
• Warriors reportedly eyeing a wing in the 2020 NBA Draft
• Warriors: Is the team destined to trade its No. 2 overall draft pick?

The Warriors can take advantage of this week or so by getting extra rest for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut, and others, but they can’t get complacent. Steve Kerr will find a way to give his players rest but still keep his players fresh, but the Warriors must stay focused and engaged during this week off.

The Warriors found a happy medium between maintaining momentum and getting rest during the end of the season, once they had already clinched home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Kerr didn’t give his star players full nights off, but he monitored their minutes and relied more on the bench during that stretch.

During the end of the season, the players could still stay fresh by playing parts of games. Now though, they don’t have that option for a week. Kerr will keep his players engaged in practice though and do whatever he can to keep his players focused on the next series.

This team is so motivated, determined, and locked in though that I believe, ultimately, the benefit of the rest will outweigh the potential costs of losing momentum.

Next: Will Playoff Rotation Change in Second Round?