Steph Curry and Steve Kerr
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Steph Curry and Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors have won four NBA titles together.
After the Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz on Monday, coach Steve Kerr delivered a clear message to his team. Kerr wanted to make sure that his players know what their main priority is moving forward.
Speaking to reporters after the Warriors’ 134-117 win, Kerr emphasized how important reducing turnovers is to their success. Golden State only committed 10 turnovers against the Jazz, which was below their season average of 16.6 per game.
“We took care of the ball, and that’s priority No. 1 for us. When we take care of it, we generally win. We’re 9-1 now, when we win a turnover battle, and like 1-8 when we don’t. It’s obvious what our measuring stick is, and that helps our defense. I like that. I like the way the ball moved,” Kerr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
Turnovers have always been a problem for the Warriors during their entire run, but it has been more costly in recent seasons. One or two bad turnovers can change the outcome of a game, which could affect their standings in a loaded Western Conference.
Kerr Fired Up His Team Before 2nd Quarter Spurt
While the Golden State Warriors managed to earn an easy win over the Utah Jazz, they were down by 11 points early in the first quarter. Coach Steve Kerr had to give a fiery speech on the sidelines before the start of the second period. It worked well since the Warriors went on an 18-0 run to begin the quarter.
“We had good practice yesterday. Utah was coming off a back-to-back. We wanted to get off to a better start than we did. But we responded after that quick timeout. Coach lit a fire underneath us, and I’m just glad the way we responded as a whole. We know we can play better, but it’s nice to have a little bit of offensive rhythm tonight and see the ball go in after a rough start,” Steph Curry said after the game, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
Curry led the way, finishing with 31 points and four rebounds on 12-for-24 shooting. He made six 3-point shots, while Buddy Hield contributed 20 points off the bench. Jimmy Butler added 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists. The Warriors improved to 10-9 for the season.
Kerr’s Contract is Expiring
One of the biggest news to come out of the Golden State Warriors in the offseason outside of Jonathan Kuminga‘s contract situation was Steve Kerr’s expiring contract. Kerr is in the final year of his two-year, $35 million extension from last year.
The 60-year-old coach has been in Golden State since 2014, leading them to four NBA championships in six NBA Finals appearances. He has cemented himself as one of the greatest coaches ever, though it will be surprising if the Warriors are without him next season.
On a recent episode of the “Dubs Talk” podcast, the idea of Florida Gators coach Todd Golden being the potential replacement for Kerr. The Warriors are already set to lose assistant coach Chris DeMarco, who was hired by the New York Liberty to be their next head coach.
General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. expressed his confidence and belief last month that Kerr will remain as coach of the Warriors next season.