Cavaliers: Celtics-Wizards:
Kerr boosts input with Warriors Coach at practice in limited capacity, appears to feel better.
Coach Steve Kerr isn’t ready to return to the bench, but it’s clear he plans to ramp up his activity and involvement with the Warriors as they meet the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals, which start this afternoon.
Kerr took part in a home practice Saturday for the first time in more than three weeks and spent nearly a half-hour talking with acting coach Mike Brown afterward. Kerr also has been present for coaches meetings the past two days.
Kerr did not speak with reporters, but guard Stephen Curry and Brown said he was engaged during practice and looking better physically since he started treatment for pain related to back surgery two years ago. Kerr Wizards guard John Wall celebrates after hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter Friday, forcing a Game 7 Monday in Boston. has not coached a game since Game 2 of the first round, and the Warriors still don’t know when he’ll return.
Brown said he didn’t know whether Kerr would be at Oracle Arena for Game 1, if only behind the scenes.
“It’s great any time you can hear his voice, see his face,” Curry said. “He’s obviously been doing his homework in between his downtimes, helping us get prepared for
SATURDAY’S GAMES
None scheduled
TODAY’S GAME
Spurs at Warriors, ABC (Game 1) this series, and you know he misses being around for the day-to-day routine and the atmosphere. His ability to be here means a lot. I hope he’s feeling better.”
Curry said the players had not seen Kerr since a week earlier, when they departed for Games 3 and 4 of the second-round series at Utah. But he had input Saturday.
“He was one of the coaches in our pregame film, just giving his assessment of the series and things we need to do well,” Curry said. “Obviously, coach Brown led most of it, but he was present.”
Backup center Walter Tavares broke his right hand during practice last week, reinforcing coach Tyronn Lue’s plan not to hold any more scrimmages while the Cavaliers await Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday against the Boston-Washington winner. Cleveland hasn’t played since finishing a sweep of Toronto last Sunday.
Washington’s John Wall, who forced Monday’s Game 7 in Boston by hitting a 3-pointer in the final seconds Friday night, wasn’t happy with the Celtics’ decision to wear allblack attire to the game as they tried to finish the series. ■ ■
“It was just funny to me. It was kind of copy-catting what we did,” said Wall, whose Wizards wore dark outfits before a regular-season game with Boston. “It was in my mind throughout the game that I didn’t want them to come here, wear all black, and basically call it a funeral.”
The host has won all 10 games between the Wizards and Celtics this season — four in the regular season and six in the playoffs.