Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reflected on a mixed performance after his team held off the Washington Wizards 131-126 at Chase Center on Friday.
“We’re going to him a lot, you know, when we need a basket and he’s capable of that,” Kerr said regarding Kristaps Porzingis’s role in the victory.
Kerr highlighted the 7-foot-2 center as a reliable option in critical moments. “He probably hasn’t done a ton of that, you know, in recent years. I mean, Boston has a number of guys who are going to kind of have the ball in their hands late. But right now we’re going to him a lot. You know, generally he takes care of the ball. He gets a shot for either himself or someone else. So, it’s a he’s a great weapon. Um, you know, at any point in the game, and it’s really fun to watch him play,” he added.
The Warriors coach also commented on team spacing and decision-making around Porzingis. “I think we’re getting better with it. The biggest thing with our team is just our decision-making. The first half we had three turnovers and we generally just played a, you know, solid offensive half and then second half we got crazy again. And, you know, we nine turnovers um most of them unforced and we just we just have to understand the value of the ball,” Kerr said.
Kerr noted the challenges of the NBA’s fast pace and emphasized the importance of fundamentals. “Everybody’s playing so fast. Everybody’s launching threes. It, you know, there are times where the NBA game just gets looks like a pickup game at times because everybody is just launching and playing fast. In some ways we have to retach the value of time and score and you know hitting singles, decision making because all it takes is, you know, a bad shot and a turnover and the whole game flips.”
Reflecting on the Warriors’ habits and performance, Kerr pointed out both strengths and weaknesses. “First half, I saw focus offensively, simple decisions. And then I thought we let our guard down defensively in the second quarter. Couple back cut layups, missed communication on switches. So there was good and bad tonight. But I like the way we close the game and had a lot of good individual performances,” he said.
Kerr also addressed the unusual competitive dynamics in the league. “It’s definitely strange, but it almost doesn’t matter because these guys are all in the NBA. Jaden Hardy didn’t play the first 36 minutes and then he scores 14 in the fourth quarter. So technically he’s not one of their best players, but he was their best player in the fourth quarter. We can’t take anything for granted,” he said.
Kerr praised Gui Santos for his development and patience. “Well, he’s the more reps he’s getting, the more minutes, the more confident he’s become in his shot, and his ability to get past people. I think the game has slowed down for him. I think he’s making good decisions. Tonight was a great game for him in terms of handling the ball. You know, only one turnover and as a shot creator, you know, we’re asking a lot of him and he’s playing really, really well.”
Porzingis led the Warriors with 28 points and eight assists, while Santos scored 27 points, including two crucial free throws in the final 11.4 seconds. Brandin Podziemski added 22 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, helping Golden State win their third straight game. Rookie Will Riley had 22 points for the Wizards, who fought back late but fell short.
