Kerr isn’t happy over team’s turnover totals over past three games
It’s not time to sound the alarm. But it’s time to sound an alarm.
Even though the Warriors have the best record in the NBA (37-10) and just tied the franchise record with 14 straight road victories before losing to Houston, coach Steve Kerr said he has noticed something recently that has disturbed him.
“There are key points in the year where we have to hit the reset button in terms of our priorities,” Kerr said. “Right now is one of those times. This is an important week for us from the standpoint of we need to take care of the ball.”
Over the past three games, the Warriors have given up 20 or more points off turnovers. In those three games, they had 16 turnovers for 20 points against Cleveland, 15 turnovers for 27 points against Chicago and 19 turnovers for 23 points against Houston.
The Warriors only lost one of those games, falling to the Rockets 116-108. But Kerr didn’t
show the team video footage of that loss Monday. Instead he showed the team replays of turnovers from each of those three games.
“I don’t pay too close attention to the results this year,” Kerr said. “I pay close attention to trends.”
Kerr, however, went on to say that against the Rockets, the Warriors showed “a complete lack of focus.”
“Out of 19 (turnovers) against Houston, I can count on one hand the number that weren’t selfinduced,” Kerr said. “And that’s not to discredit them. They did a good job defensively. But if we want to just throw 60-foot lob passes in transition, and throw the ball out of bounds, and throw the ball to them, it’s going to be a lot harder for them to win.”
Kerr said when he pushed the so-called reset button, there weren’t any theatrics.
“Every once in a while things get a little off track,” Kerr said. “Get them back on track. Don’t make a huge deal of it. Don’t yell and scream and wear them out. But let’s coax them back on course. That’s our job this year. It’s a different year, a much different season, given where we’ve been and where we’re trying to go.”
If the Warriors make the NBA Finals this season, they will be one of four franchises to do it four years or more in a row. The
Boston Celtics did it twice. The Los Angeles Lakers and Miami also did it once.
So considering the Warriors’ goals, Kerr said it’s a bit tough to keep the team incredibly focused and sharp for January games.
“These are always the dog days,” Kerr said. “Once the holidays are over and pre-All-Star, you get that month or five-week stretch where it’s a little bit of a grind. But it’s the same thing for everybody.”
Kerr said that the Warriors are having an easier time getting motivated for games on the road, where they’re 21-4. Their home record (16-6) has lagged because they may be a bit too relaxed.
“It’s the first year in my four years where we’ve lost a lot of home games that we shouldn’t,” Kerr said. “To me, that just points to emotional fatigue. Trying to get up for 82 games is a difficult thing, especially in Year 4 in a quest to get back to the Finals.”
That being said, Kerr
came down on the Warriors on Monday. And each time he has done that this season, the Warriors have responded.
Kerr said he hit the reset button in December after Stephen Curry sustained a sprained right ankle. Kerr held a team meeting in Charlotte and told his players he wanted them to be the best defensive team in the NBA while Curry was sidelined.
Over the next 11 games, the Warriors had the top defense in the league.
And when asked if he expects they will respond accordingly again, Kerr didn’t hesitate.
“Always,” he said. “I have total confidence in our guys that they’ll respond.”
• After the Warriors lost to the Rockets on Saturday, Clint Capela said his team was “better” than the defending champions.
The Warriors’ Kevin Durant doesn’t agree.
“They beat us twice this year, they should feel confident,” Durant said. “Obviously
we’re confident. We feel as though we’re the best team in the league. We can beat anyone as well.”
Durant went on to take a bit of a shot at Capela.
“You hear from guys like Capela. Usually, he’s catching the ball and laying it up from (Chris Paul) or James Harden,” Durant said. “His job is not as hard. When your job is that hard, you know you can’t just come out and say (stuff) like that.
“I don’t expect that from (Chris Paul) and James (Harden) and (Trevor) Ariza and the rest of the guys because they know how hard it is to come out and do it every night. Capela, catch and dunk every night, it’s pretty easy.”
• Durant was asked Monday which team captain he would rather play for at the All-Star Game, Stephen Curry or LeBron James.
Turns out Durant would be just as excited to go against Curry as he would be to play alongside him.
“I’m down for anything,” Durant said. “I’m prepared to have to switch out on Steph on the pick-and-roll, and force him to the rim, and try to block his shot. If I’m on the other team, I’m looking forward to going against LeBron.”
• Kerr said that sixth man Andre Iguodala, who missed the Chicago and Houston games because of a left thigh contusion, looked “good” and went through Monday’s practice. The Warriors will make a final determination on whether he plays after Tuesday’s shootaround.