The Golden State Warriors fell 110-96 to the Miami Heat on Wednesday at Kaseya Center, with coach Steve Kerr highlighting turnovers and lapses in execution as key issues.
Kerr noted, “A couple stretches of the game where we went cold really hurt us. And then the turnovers… those possessions really hurt and give Miami credit.”
Miami outscored Golden State 38-22 in the fourth quarter, led by Norman Powell’s 25 points and Bam Adebayo’s 20-point return from injury. Kerr emphasized the need to reduce mistakes, recalling the team’s previous success when limiting turnovers: “We’re eight and 0 when we win the turnover battle and one and eight when we don’t. So it’s pretty clear-cut.”
The Warriors were missing their top four paid players—Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Jonathan Kuminga—plus Al Horford, leaving the bench unable to sustain momentum. Despite Brandin Podziemski scoring 20 points, Quinten Post 19, and Buddy Hield 18, Kerr stressed improvement and fundamentals as the focus moving forward.
Kerr also praised the influence of veteran leadership off the court, noting the guidance from Curry and Butler: “I could feel Steph and Jimmy on the sidelines… giving advice. That’s really important for our guys to feel the support of their vets.” He stressed the importance of connectedness and mentoring for younger players during tough stretches.
The Warriors played their 17th game in 29 days, a schedule Kerr said has complicated performance and management: “Playing… you have to bench key players. I wish I knew. Yeah, maybe a shorter season or extending the calendar… but everybody’s dealing with the same issue.”
Despite the loss, Kerr pointed to progress during the six-game road trip, noting improvement in effort and competitiveness after prior struggles. “After that OKC game, just felt like our level of fight and competition was where it needed to be… we’re better as a team, but we have a lot of work to do,” he said.
Golden State (9-8) returns home to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, while Miami (9-6) heads to Chicago.
