Tim Legler says the quiet part out loud about Steph Curry

The Golden State Warriors' championship aspirations heavily rely on Stephen Curry, but analyst Tim Legler predicts he will miss approximately 18-20 regular-season games—around a quarter of the season—continuing a recent pattern of rest and minor injuries. This strategy aims to preserve Curry’s health for the playoffs, particularly after the Warriors' disappointing second-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last season.

Legler emphasizes that Curry, now a year older while shouldering immense offensive responsibility, has missed 83 regular-season games over the past five years, often sitting out back-to-back games. His absence profoundly impacts the team, as demonstrated when a hamstring injury sidelined him during the Timberwolves series, crippling Golden State’s offense and leading to a five-game defeat.

Despite the addition of Jimmy Butler as a secondary scorer, Curry’s unparalleled perimeter gravity remains irreplaceable for creating spacing. With the competitive Western Conference, the Warriors cannot afford to lose the 15-20 games Curry is expected to miss. The team must develop strategies to win without him during the regular season to avoid relegation to the play-in tournament, balancing rest for playoff readiness with regular-season success.