December 11, 2024
Warriors coach Steve Kerr in a blue warmup jacket
Mar 20, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr encourages his players during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
To say that Steve Kerr felt like he was in hostile territory for the Golden State Warriors’ Wednesday matchup against the Houston Rockets would be a massive understatement.
The Rockets hosted the Warriors in an NBA Cup clash at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, to determine which team would advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas.
The Rockets’ playing court was painted a very bright red, staying true to the NBA Cup tradition of using eye-catching court designs throughout the tournament. In addition to the red court, the Rockets also placed red shirts on every seat in the venue before the game.
LOOK AT THAT COURT pic.twitter.com/1l2Wu0S6C0
— RocketsMuse (@RocketsMuse) December 12, 2024
The scene looked quite infernal to Kerr, who compared entering the empty venue pregame to an excursion into the netherworld.
“I told one of the coaches that it felt like I was descending into the depths of hell,” Kerr joked. “Deep red hue on the floor. It’s a little disconcerting. I thought I had been better in my life. I didn’t think I deserved that fate.”
Steve Kerr on the #Rockets red NBA Cup court:
"Felt like I was descending into the depths of hell. I thought I had been better in my life. I didn't think I deserved this fate." 😭😂 pic.twitter.com/yHJM68T4bG
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) December 12, 2024
Jalen Green getting in early work before this NBA Cup quarterfinal between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors. On a deep red court that made Warriors coach Steve Kerr joke that "I felt like I was descending into the depths of hell." pic.twitter.com/MtMpJxCYGk
— Chris Baldwin (@ChrisYBaldwin) December 12, 2024
The goal of every regional sporting venue is to create an unfriendly environment for visiting teams.
Given Kerr’s unsettling experience at Toyota Center on Wednesday, it’s safe to say that the Rockets succeeded in doing just that.