Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has adjusted the team's expectations as the regular season nears its final stretch. Speaking with 95.7 The Game, Kerr emphasized the importance of staying focused while acknowledging the team's recent surge in the Western Conference standings.
“I think we can move up further now given what’s transpired the last couple of weeks. We’ve made a pretty quick rise up in the standings. We’re only two games behind Houston, you know, we have the tie-breaker over them – I think we play them one more time. I don’t think that spot is out of the question,” Kerr said.
“You start looking too far ahead, you’ll get out of sorts. So, the only thing we’re focused on is just winning the next game. But of course we look at the standings every day, we look at the scores every night and we’re trying to climb as high as we can.”
Warriors surge behind Jimmy Butler’s arrival and Stephen Curry’s dominance
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) is congratulated by guard Stephen Curry (30) after a basket against the Charlotte Hornets in the third quarter at the Chase Center.
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The Warriors have capitalized on their recent momentum, currently riding a two-game winning streak to improve to a 34-28 record. They are tied for the sixth seed with the Minnesota Timberwolves (34-29) and will look to build on their success in an upcoming matchup against the Brooklyn Nets (21-40) on Thursday night.
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A key factor in Golden State’s resurgence has been the acquisition of Jimmy Butler III at this season’s trade deadline. Since Butler’s arrival, the Warriors have gone 9-2, with a 9-1 record in games where he has played. The 35-year-old forward has provided a significant boost, averaging 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. His presence has added stability on both ends of the floor, complementing the Warriors’ established core.
Stephen Curry has also elevated his play, continuing to anchor Golden State’s offense at age 36. The two-time MVP is averaging 29.4 points, 6.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 50.5% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range. His season-high 56-point performance against the Orlando Magic, where he connected on 12 three-pointers, further demonstrated his ability to take over games.
With the Western Conference standings still fluid, Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors are focused on securing a higher seed to avoid the play-in tournament. The upcoming schedule presents an opportunity to continue their climb, with matchups against teams below them in the standings.
Golden State will aim to maintain its momentum as it wraps up its three-game road trip against Brooklyn before returning home.