Warriors head coach Steve Kerr described Wednesday’s 132-125 win over the Charlotte Hornets as a satisfying way to close out December. “Felt good. Any win feels good. That’s a good young team. They’ve done a really good job putting together a roster with guys who love to hoop and they’re talented,” Kerr said.
Kerr praised Golden State’s three-point shooting as a key factor in the victory. “We had to make 24 threes to win a close game. So tells you how well they’re playing,” he noted. The Warriors hit 24 of 49 from beyond the arc while shooting 55 percent overall.
Discussing the team’s improved offensive rhythm, Kerr added, “Our offense has dramatically improved. Draymond just told me six games in a row with 120 or more. We haven’t done that in a while. It just feels like we’ve got a better rhythm.”
On managing a deep rotation, Kerr said, “It’s really hard, but we have some patterns that we’re sticking to with our main guys—Steph, Dre, and Jimmy. Everybody else just has to be ready to play when their name is called. We’re going to play a lot of people in short bursts.”
Kerr also reflected on Stephen Curry’s continued impact. “It never ceases to amaze me the support Steph has everywhere. There’s something magical about him. Everybody here knows this is his hometown. They watched him grow up. Only once a year, so it’s a special trip for us.”
The coach highlighted bench contributions from Gui Santos, Will Richard, and De’Anthony Melton. “I love Gui. He brings energy, rebounds, and passing. You just feel him when he’s out there,” Kerr said. “He celebrates the hustle play as much as the basketball. He and Will, Melton, they’ve really given us a big lift lately.”
On the closing lineup of Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Melton, and Richard, Kerr noted, “I like the two-way ability of that group. Will and Melton can handle the ball against pressure, make the right play, and they understand you don’t have to take the first shot just because you’re open.”
Kerr praised Draymond Green’s performance: “Draymond was awesome. The 12 assists tonight made the biggest shot of the game. Charlotte went to double Steph and Jimmy and Dre made somebody else beat them.”
The coach also shared his impressions of rookie Kon Knueppel, who returned from injury. “I see a lot of Chris Mullin. Really good size on the wing, catch and shoot, incredible IQ, passing, making the right play over and over. He’s already a really, really good player.”
Kerr concluded by emphasizing the importance of the Warriors’ upcoming schedule. “We’ve got to take advantage of it for sure. The schedule was against us for the first couple months of the season.”
