Steve Kerr makes bold playoffs admission about Warriors amid rough season
Steve Kerr’s Golden State Warriors bounced back on Monday in a rematch with the San Antonio Spurs. After losing 126-113 to the Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs on Saturday, the Dubs survived San Antonio’s desperate run to emerge with a 112-102 victory. They improved their record 34-30, but they are still firmly entrenched in the 10th spot in the tightly-packed Western Conference.
Kerr has said a few times since before the trade deadline that the Warriors’ goal was to grab at least a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. They are 7-4 since after the All-Star break but remain ranked 10th. The Dubs will likely have to punch a ticket to the playoffs by beating two teams in the play-in tournament.
Despite where they are at, Steve Kerr remains positive about what the next few months could bring. Here’s what he had to say on “95.7 The Game” about the Golden State’s potential playoff run:
“I feel really strongly that our team is primed if we can really stay healthy down the stretch, get Steph [Curry] back. I feel like we can really make a good run.”
Steph Curry sprained his right ankle against the Chicago Bulls on Mar. 7 and has since missed the Dubs’ last two games. Golden State is 1-4 for the season without the two-time MVP. To move up in the standings, they will need him to be back leading the team.
Curry has reportedly been cleared for on-court activities. If he does not suffer a setback, he could join the Warriors’ practice on Friday before they visit Hollywood for a matchup against the LA Lakers. There’s a chance that he could return soon enough to face LeBron James’ team.
Having Steph Curry back in the lineup is unquestionably what Steve Kerr will be hoping for. They can only go as far as the deadeye shooter can carry the Warriors.
Steve Kerr’s Warriors are still in good position to grab an outright playoff berth
NBA teams have roughly 18 regular-season games remaining. Steve Kerr’s Golden State Warriors (34-30) are only 2.5 games behind the sixth-ranked Phoenix Suns (38-27). If Steph Curry returns as expected, the Dubs could still accomplish their goal of grabbing an outright playoff berth.
Last season, Golden State looked like it was relegated to the play-in tournament. But a strong surge in their last 10 games allowed them to nail the sixth seed and final postseason ticket. They have no choice but to follow that script again to avoid the complications of the said pre-playoff format.