Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr addressed key injuries following Friday’s 115-101 loss at Little Caesars Arena. “I saw him and he said his back had started to tighten up and then there was the play where the ball was deflected off his hand. He got a little push in the back and that aggravated a little bit, but I don’t know anything beyond that,” Kerr said of Kristaps Porzingis.
The coach confirmed uncertainty for the next game. “He was moving around, right? I mean, he was walking. But we don’t know about tomorrow,” Kerr added, also noting a potential wrist issue for Malevy Leons.
Kerr emphasized how Porzingis’ exit impacted team dynamics. “Yeah, for sure. I thought we were hanging in there in the first half, but when he went out, obviously to take away our space five against a great defensive team, it was going to be hard to find openings,” he said.
He broke down the effect of turnovers on the game. “Second half just got away from us. They turned us over. Thompson was fantastic on the ball, just a wrecking crew out there,” Kerr said, highlighting Golden State’s 26 turnovers that led to 32 Detroit points.
Kerr clarified the nature of the mistakes early in the game. “Early on the turnovers were decision issues, and then as the game went on, it was their athleticism and speed,” he said, pointing to Detroit’s defensive pressure.
On the team’s morale, Kerr noted the challenge of facing a deep Pistons roster without key stars. “It was disappointing because I felt good coming into the game. I didn’t think we made good decisions early and it kind of set a tone,” he said.
The Warriors coach also discussed managing players during a back-to-back situation. “We got back-to-back and saved Draymond for tomorrow,” Kerr confirmed, explaining some bench rotations late in the game.
Kerr’s comments underscored Golden State’s broader struggles this season. The Warriors have lost seven of their last eight games and are now 33-37, falling below .500 in the Western Conference.
Despite the setback, Kerr remains focused on preparation. “I thought we were playing pretty well, knocking down some shots and doing good things, but turnovers set a poor tone,” he said.
