Steve Kerr was not available for the Golden State Warriors’ previous clash against the Utah Jazz. The head coach was in Serbia, present for the funeral of Dejan Milojevic. Now that Kerr has made it back, he will be present for Golden State’s upcoming contest against the Los Angeles Clippers. Once he learned that Kawhi Leonard would be missing out on the clash though, Kerr seemed to be livid.
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Ahead of the Golden State Warriors-Los Angeles Clippers contest, Shams Charania broke the news that Kawhi Leonard would be missing the contest with a right adductor strain.
Clippers say Kawhi Leonard has a left adductor strain and is out vs. Warriors on Wednesday.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 14, 2024
Usually, coaches and players look to capitalize on the fact that the best player of the opponent team is sidelined. However, Steve Kerr didn’t think of it that way. The 58-year-old seemed to be frustrated after learning about Leonard’s unavailability against his team. As per Kerr, the Warriors have lost games when stars of the opposing teams have sat out of the contest. Expressing his hatred for load management, Steve also said:
“I hate when guys sit out, especially stars. We’ve lost so many games the last couple years when star players sit out. There’s just a natural let down…I’m dead serious. It’s the worst feeling in the NBA.”
“I hate when guys sit out, especially stars. We’ve lost so many games the last couple years when star players sit out. There’s just a natural let down…I’m dead serious. It’s the worst feeling in the NBA.”
Steve Kerr after @WillardAndDibs told him Kawhi Leonard is OUT tomorrow. https://t.co/OJYXvL7k92
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 14, 2024
Despite Kawhi Leonard’s absence, Steve Kerr should expect a well-contested bout. Yes, Leonard has been on a tear in the past 30 games. However, Paul George, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook have also been immensely valuable for Ty Lue’s team. Even if the two-way star is out, the Clippers, who have won 10 out of their last 13 games, will be the favorites to emerge victorious.
Steve Kerr often expressed despising load management
This is not the first time that Steve Kerr has spoken on the topic of “load management”. Back in 2023, Kerr revealed feeling sorry for the fans who spent time, money, and energy only to witness the star players sit out due to load management.
“It’s a brutal part of the business,” Kerr said.
Steve Kerr’s suggestion to the commissioner to tackle to same was to reduce the length of the season. According to him, changing the regular season to a 72-game campaign would be the best idea.
Earlier this offseason, while several personalities expressed their dissatisfaction with the NBA’s new 65-game policy for players to be eligible for season accolades, Kerr accepted the new rules. He also agreed to the policy that prevented teams from load managing their star players.
“We understand we are trying to entertain basketball fans everywhere. That’s the business. You know, putting on a good product, putting on a good show for our fans, and giving our fans the opportunity to come out and see our guys play,” Kerr said.
The Golden State Warriors have been following this mandate. However, the team has had to deal with some injuries. Players such as Chris Paul, Gary Payton II, and Moses Moody have already missed several games. However, with the Warriors finally having a relatively injury-free campaign, their performance on the court has improved. Having won five straight games, the Bay Area side are finally looking like the formidable squad that they were always meant to be.
