Steve Kerr defended his decision to pull Steph Curry in the final moments of Sunday’s 109-108 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to Kerr, the decision was based off of the distinct size advantage Shaun Livingston gives the Warriors.
Of note: Livingston checked in to guard 6-foot-5 guard Iman Shumpert who had just 7 points in the game.
“That’s just strategy,” Kerr said, via ESPN.com’s Ethan Sherwood-Strauss. “We wanted more length. Shaun gives us a lot of length. The ability to go up and get a rebound on a miss and if we need to switch something, we can switch it like-sized. So, it’s nothing that needs to be discussed. Every player wants to be out there all the time but we’re going to do what we think is best for the given moment.”
Kerr said he did not worry about the optics when making the decision to take Curry out of the game.
“No, he’s a big boy. He’s a two time MVP,” Kerr said. “He’s an unbelievably mature, thoughtful person. He was, I’m sure upset at the way the game went for him, just like I was upset after the game with my comments talking about our turnovers. So we were all upset, but in the end we’re all together win or lose but we keep pushing forward.”
Curry was seen sulking on the bench while Kyrie Irving hit the eventual game-winner with 3.4 seconds left. This was Curry’s response in the locker room after the game.
KYRIE IRVING! ???
Kyrie hits the game-winner as the @cavs rally to beat the @warriors, 109-108. #NBAXmas pic.twitter.com/XcEHeDKxOy
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 25, 2016
“It’s his call, obviously,” Curry said when asked if he would talk to Kerr about it. “But, well … you love the competitive nature, you want to be out there trying to make a play. So that’ll never die in me.”
After the game, my column talked about how Curry’s disappearing act against Cleveland is a concerning piece of the puzzle heading into June. He’s surely had his moments against the Cavs the last few seasons, but Irving, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson all managed to show up for a Christmas Day thriller. Curry’s presence was missing from the game.
ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst reiterated those same sentiments Sunday on KNBR 1050.
“I’ve now watched the ’15 Finals, the ’16 Finals and now this game and Steph, in general — he certainly had moments — but in general has not been himself against the Cavs on average,” Windhorst said. “He had a couple of moments and some really big games in the ’15 Finals. But he hasn’t been himself.
“And yeah, okay, his knee was off in the Finals last year, for sure. But the Cavs are able to bump him and be a little more physical with him and it seems to throw him off his game. The other thing is, the Cavs attacked Steph at the end of the game in Game 7. They physically drew up the play to attack him, to force Kyrie onto him with the switch, and Kyrie went at him. And you know, he played good defense on that, but the Cavs target him defensively. And that is why Steve Kerr took him out of the game.”
Kerr has not denied Curry has had the biggest adjustment period with Durant now onboard. But it also should be noted that while Curry is shooting a career-low 39.9 percent from downtown, he is still leading the league in three-pointers made this season with 120.
Christmas Day has thrown a microscope under the MVP’s play. Expect him to respond with a vengeance in this upcoming five-game homestand starting with the Raptors on Wednesday.