Nick Young has been looking like a different version of himself since the injuries starting plaguing the Golden State Warriors, now inserted into a starting role with all four All-Stars nursing injuries of their own.
The one player deployed as an offensive spark plug has often seen his fuse go out, now tasked with the heavy load of playing minutes after being one of the many reserves of a deep championship team.
“Run, Nick, run,” Curry joked throughout the game, as the shooting guard looked clearly fatigued.
Young has been thrust into Klay Thompson's role at shooting guard, but he can hardly get up and down the court efficiently, let alone run weaves and serpentine cuts to find himself open like Thompson often does.
“I’m tired of these 40 minutes,” Young said, according to Melissa Rohlin of the San Jose Mercury News. “I need some players back. Kinda starting to hurt my old body.”
The 32-year-old Young has clearly struggled with the minutes load, playing 40 minutes or more in two road games against the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs, and while he's posted double figures in six of his last seven games — he's struggled mightily with his consistency.
“Just trying to get better,” Young said. “It’s tough. I’m not used to playing 41 minutes, 40 minutes a night. You get thrown in there. But we need it. We need this confidence. We need to be able to go out there and play.”
The man known as Swaggy P shot a woeful 4-of-11 from the floor for 12 points in a 92-81 loss against the Indiana Pacers, once again failing to get the offensive spark the Warriors so badly need.
“I think I needed this,” Young said. “Just being there and having the ball in my hand a little bit.” “Just couldn’t get things to fall, I had a lot of open looks. It was just one of them days.”
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