Coach Kerr Really Believes in This Team
After last night’s win against the Hornets, Warriors superstar and greatest point guard of all time Steph Curry had some great praise for Steve Kerr.
Curry, after a game uncharacteristic of the 2x MVP, was still in good spirits.
"Stay for the end and Coach Kerr’s reaction when I don’t turn the ball over" he said in an Instagram post, in reference to Kerr’s reaction in the 4th last night.
The optimism and overall atmosphere of this year’s Golden State team is reminiscent the most of the deep, bench-heavy squads that dominated the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons. ESPN’s Warriors coverage star Nick Friedell mentioned how ecstatic Kerr has been about Steph since taking the reigns in the team’s first championship of the past decade.
While Steph hasn’t been in his MVP-level form to start the season, his bond with the coaching staff shows just how much trust they have in him to play at the level he’s capable of and - more importantly - how he has impacted and will impact the franchise moving forward. Kerr has always been a fan of Curry’s unique capabilities, and in the first season when he can truly shine with a playoff team around him, that faith hasn’t wavered at all.
While the Warriors have enjoyed some great success, including a 6-1 start and the best defensive rating in the NBA, it’s been team leader Draymond Green that’s held the squad - coaches included - accountable. Kerr listened to a piece of advice from Green about his body language in the first half against the Hornets, citing that he needed to up the energy because, as Kerr stated, it wasn’t just the players on the court, but the energy the coaches bring too. This is a sign of great chemistry, faith from the head coach that his guys will ensure they’ve got his back even when they need to be a little brutally honest.
The Warriors look to continue their impressive start tomorrow against the 1-8 Pelicans who are lacking first overall pick Zion Williamson to conditioning. With tough games ahead for the Utah Jazz, tying the Dubs for the best record in West, Golden State should be able to claim first this week.
(Photo credit: Getty Images)