Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr described Friday’s 131-94 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder as “a tough night,” noting that his team was disorganized and struggled to compete together. “We weren’t well organized. We didn’t compete well together. Disappointing,” Kerr said following the loss at Chase Center.
Kerr acknowledged the challenge of facing one of the league’s top teams but emphasized that the performance was below expectations. “I thought we could have been a lot better… they got rolling and, you know, we never found any confidence, any rhythm,” he said.
The Warriors fell behind after a 19-0 run by the Thunder in the second quarter, turning a close game into a commanding deficit. Kerr explained, “I don’t know that that was the stretch… the whole game was lopsided. They won every quarter by 9, 10, 11 points.”
Golden State was limited by absences, with Stephen Curry (ankle), Jimmy Butler (illness), Draymond Green (rest), and Jonathan Kuminga (back soreness) unavailable. “I hope the other veterans return tomorrow. Draymond definitely will be back, and hopefully Steph will be back as well,” Kerr said. Al Horford, who played 15 minutes, will not suit up for the next game.
Kerr expressed frustration with offensive execution. “We just didn’t perform well… there was never any connection in the game… we had some good looks early and didn’t knock down the open ones,” he said, adding that the team failed to establish rhythm in the second half.
The loss did not shake Kerr’s broader perspective on the team’s trajectory. “We’re still a good team. We’re still competitive… we can still be good, but we’re obviously not in the same class as we were five, six years ago,” he explained, reflecting on the league’s evolution and Golden State’s current roster limitations.
Oklahoma City dominated the floor, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30 points and seven assists, and Chet Holmgren’s 15 points and 15 rebounds. The Thunder improved to 30-5, shooting 52% overall and making all 19 free throws while holding the Warriors to 36% shooting.
Kerr remained focused on moving forward despite the lopsided defeat. “We’ve had a string of games… this was the first of three and four. I think this was a one-off, and we’ll bounce back tomorrow night,” he said, emphasizing the need to reset quickly for the next matchup.
Golden State will host the Utah Jazz on Saturday, while the Thunder continue their road trip in Phoenix.
