Well, the good news is that Warriors coach Steve Kerr and forward Draymond Green have disagreed much more vociferously than this.
Kerr was asked by reporters what he thought of Green’s recent comments regarding Golden State’s fight for 10th place in the Western Conference; the No. 10 seed would grant the Warriors a chance to “play-in” to the conventional playoffs. Green said that earning that distinction doesn’t motivate him.
The coach said it motivated him just fine, though he understands where Green is coming from. Here’s a portion of his comment, courtesy of NBC Sports’ Drew Shiller.
Time have certainly changed. I agree with Kerr, however. Making the playoffs in any fashion would be a boost for next season’s Warriors. Here are Green’s full comments for context. He said he’s motivated to win every game, regardless of the standings.
Aaaand just because Shiller took it on the chin regarding some slightly inaccurate information recently (sorry, Drew), here are Kerr’s full comments as well. (Nice job on this one though, Drew.)
This is simply a matter semantics, and also likely reflects Green’s sour mood after a loss to the Heat on Thursday. So, no big deal. But it’s interesting that the Warriors are in this position at all.
Green and Kerr famously almost had a physical altercation during the Warriors’ 73-win season in 2016. Their relationship has remained solid, so nothing much to see here. Just a bunch of guys that are used to playing for championships squabbling about losing way more than expected.
If the two can lead Golden State to a win on Friday against the Raptors without superstar Stephen Curry, they’ll likely fell much better. Green said he’s motivated to win every game, and he’s likely to play like it, especially after this minor tit-for-tat with his coach.
Late breaking: Green didn’t suit up for the Raptors game due to a sprained thumb. Keep an eye on the BASH for updates.
(Photo credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)
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