Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr voiced frustration with his team’s physicality and competitive edge after a 113-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night, a result that dropped Golden State to 27-24 and eighth in the Western Conference while Philadelphia improved to 29-21 with its fifth straight win.
Kerr pointed to the possession battle as the defining factor, highlighting how second-chance opportunities swung momentum. “They got every offensive rebound. That was the story of the game… 24 offensive boards and then we turn it over 20 times,” Kerr said.
The coach emphasized that the statistical gap made it difficult to stay competitive despite a close first half. “There’s no way you can win a game losing the possession battle like that,” Kerr said. “They got 15 more field goal attempts than us and 19 more free throws.”
Philadelphia controlled the glass 56-33 and scored 15 points off turnovers, while rookie VJ Edgecombe finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead a balanced Sixers attack.
Kerr said the issue went beyond execution and into mindset. “Just the lack of physicality… I was disappointed with the overall effort,” he said. “It was not a game that we can repeat for sure.”
The Warriors briefly held rhythm early, hitting eight three-pointers in the first quarter, but the home side struggled to score after halftime as the visitors tightened rotations and dominated inside.
Asked whether trade chatter surrounding the roster may have affected performance, Kerr acknowledged the atmosphere without using it as an excuse. “Maybe. I don’t know,” he said. “You can almost feel the ebbs and flows… this was not a good vibe for us tonight.”
Golden State entered the game rested while Philadelphia was on a back-to-back, a situation Kerr believed should have favored his group. “We’re going to come out and bring the juice… and first five minutes, we had guys turning it over, not running back, sulking,” he said. “It’s about competing for 48.”
Kerr clarified that effort alone was not the issue, but rather the absence of collective competitiveness. “I don’t think it was like the effort like they weren’t trying,” he said. “I didn’t sense a competitive spirit and that has to change.”
The Warriors played without Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, forcing lineup adjustments that struggled to create offense. “With Steph out, Jimmy out… we’re going to have to sort through some of these combinations and rotations,” Kerr said.
Golden State trailed by only two at halftime but failed to generate scoring early in the third quarter, prompting the coach to consider changes. “We won’t start the same way next game,” he said. “We’ve got to make some changes there.”
Kerr also addressed roster decisions with the trade deadline approaching and guard Pat Spencer nearing his game limit. “We’ll see where it goes with the trade deadline… if there’s no trade, then obviously he’s out of games,” he said.
The Warriors continue their homestand Thursday against the Phoenix Suns, searching for consistency as injuries and trade speculation shape the rotation.
