Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reflected on the team’s 119-116 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center on Saturday.
Kerr noted the team’s defensive adjustments after a shaky start: “The game settled down for us after the first quarter. They came out lights out shooting. We made a few mistakes but then buckled down defensively. The middle quarters were fantastic defense.”
The coach praised the bench’s impact, especially Gui Santos: “The last few weeks we’ve made good progress with crashing the boards. Tonight was fun to watch Gary and Gui. Gui doesn’t play the first three quarters and then has a great six minutes; he’s perfect, brings energy, makes big plays, and was fantastic.”
Trayce Jackson-Davis earned credit for his defensive presence: “He’s played really well the last couple weeks, just defensively he’s a force out there. The whole bench did a great job.”
Kerr reflected on the significance of winning close games: “We’ve lost a bunch of close games. Tonight we didn’t execute perfectly, especially defensively, giving up some open looks and that three-point play by Book with about a minute to go. We can’t have a full-court press and let them break free to the rim.”
On managing pressure, Kerr highlighted Stephen Curry’s composure: “Steph gets nervous too when he needs two free throws late in a game. If you don’t get nervous, something’s wrong. Learning to control nerves under pressure and be mindful is key, and Steph is as good as anybody at that.”
Kerr expressed frustration with Draymond Green’s ejection: “I thought it was weak. He was yelling at the refs, deserved one, but then he leaves, yells something, and gets a second technical. Two nights prior, a guy punched Steph in the stomach—no ejection. I totally disagreed and was furious they booted him out so easily.”
The coach praised Dillon Brooks’ foul before halftime as a pivotal moment: “He fouls Steph on the three, we get the rebound and end up with four points. That was a huge play at halftime.”
Kerr also discussed adjustments when Green is off the floor: “We spread the floor more with Quinten Post at five and Jimmy at four. We miss Draymond’s pick-and-roll game, but our guys have settled in and done good things offensively.”
He addressed Buddy Hield’s DNP after 199 consecutive games: “I replaced him with Will. I feel terrible, but we needed to get him back out there. His time will come back around. He’s the greatest teammate and has the right attitude.”
The Warriors overcame the ejection and rotation challenges, relying on Curry’s late-game execution and bench contributions. Golden State shot 35 percent from three, grabbed 49 rebounds, and maintained composure down the stretch.
