OAKLAND – Steve Kerr wasn’t on the bench for the Golden State Warriors 25-point come from behind win against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a hand in the win.
ABC’s cameras showed a clip of Coach Kerr at halftime talking to his team, who at the time were down 20 points to the visiting Spurs. In the video, Kerr didn’t seem to worried about his team, and focused mainly on the defensive side of the ball.
At halftime, Steve Kerr spoke with the @warriors on #NBAonABC pic.twitter.com/q9CNXSGOfd
— NBA (@NBA) May 14, 2017
“We gotta find that balance between pace and discipline,” Kerr said. “So we’re a little out of sorts because we’re trying to push it, trying to push it. And now we’re turning it over a little bit. I thought our defense was actually really good in the first quarter. But then we turned it over and they got some easy ones. And now we’re playing from behind. But in the second quarter we got out of sorts. So, get your poise back, wings run like crazy. Just settle in on like three stops in a row. Three stops in a row and the push will come from that. Settle in. We’ll be all right.”
After the game, several Warriors players talked about the difference Kerr made.
“He’s watching the game, so he sees a lot of different angles,” Curry said. “And he’s seeing how things are developing from a broader perspective.”
“He didn’t say much. He’s always short and to the point,” Matt Barnes said. “But just to hear him back in here, knowing what he’s going through, means a lot for our team.”
The Warriors haven’t given any timetable for Kerr’s return.