After more than three years without a three-game losing streak, the Warriors are inviting one Saturday night.
By sitting Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson, the Warriors will be underdogs when they take the floor at AT&T Center to face the formidable San Antonio Spurs. Kawhi Leonard will also be out for the Spurs as he goes through the NBA's concussion protocol.
Coach Steve Kerr announced the decision late Friday night, after a Warriors comeback fell short in a 103-102 loss to the Timberwolves in Minnesota.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The decision was not entirely surprising, as the Warriors will be playing their eighth game in 13 days and their fifth in the last seven, across four different time zones. The travel schedule was a factor in Kerr’s decision Friday afternoon to sit Shaun Livingston against Minnesota.
Moreover, since Kevin Durant went down Feb. 28 with a knee injury, the Warriors have lost four of the last six -- and now two straight for the second time in nine days.
“It’s my call,” Kerr told reporters in Minneapolis. “And it’s the right thing to do in terms of the way the season is playing out and the way the minutes have gone and KD’s injury . . . it’s the right thing to do, so we’re doing it.”
Despite a furious fourth-quarter rally that briefly earned a lead for the first time since the opening quarter, the Warriors were unable to pull it out. Green played 38 minutes, Thompson 36, Curry 35 and Iguodala 32.
Golden State Warriors
Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Kerr acknowledged that he decided Thursday to rest all four players, regardless of the outcome against the Timberwolves.
“It’s 100-percent health (related),” Kerr said. “I’ve been conferring with the training staff (Chelsea Lane, Mike Irr, Drew Yoder) every day on this trip.”
The staff unanimously recommended San Antonio as the obvious rest stop.
“We’re going to get in at 3 a.m.,” Kerr said. “Those guys are all playing big minutes. And this will give them three days before our home game. And then we’ll have the whole week at home next week and a chance to get recharged.”
Once the Warriors return from Texas, they will play 11 of their final 16 games at Oracle Arena, beginning with three games next week.