MY ACCOUNT
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said his team needs to appreciate a decreased margin for error with Stephen Curry injured, after their 110-108 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Curry is in a race to return to the court before the playoffs begin in April, and the Warriors felt his absence, getting out-shot from long range by the 28-44 Spurs, currently 11th in the Western Conference.
The Warriors have been undermanned all season with their big-man stocks as James Wiseman, the second pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is yet to make his season debut.
Coach Kerr stressed this point, and pointed out that he did not feel like his team brought the requisite intensity before it was too late.
“We have to understand – and I told the guys this at half-time and after the game – that we’re undermanned,” he said.
“There’s 11 games left now, and we’re looking at the playoffs, and there’s gotta be a sense of urgency.
“There’s gotta be a sense of competitive fight that we take to the other team from the very beginning of the game, and I did not see that until we were really late in the game.
“We were great in that fourth quarter, fighting like crazy, but we need to fight like crazy from the start.”
Golden State’s depth was tested even further when Draymond Green was ejected for his second technical foul, with Kerr saying he was unsure if it was deserved.
“[Green’s ejection] was unfortunate – obviously we need Draymond, desperately,” he said.
“I was surprised by that – he wasn’t swearing, he wasn’t getting personal – but I guess [the referee] felt like Draymond didn’t stop complaining.
“But Draymond has never stopped complaining his whole career – we know that – he’s earned it, with what he’s done in this league, Draymond knows how to walk that line.
“Once he gets that first one, he understands what it takes to get that second [technical foul], and he did not think he deserved it, but he can’t get kicked out of that game when we’re short-handed already.”
