Steve Kerr reveals what 'gut' tells him about lineup once Stephen Curry returns

11/28/2024 03:23 AM

Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors took the court without their superstar Steph Curry on Wednesday night as they faced the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chase Center.

Curry was sidelined earlier on Wednesday due to bilateral knee pain, meaning he is experiencing discomfort in both knees.

Steve Kerr missing Stephen Curry’s services against the Thunder

"Steph not being there definitely influences things for us," said the Warriors head coach in a post game interview. "Pairing Trayce [Jackson-Davis] and Draymond [Green] without Steph, without a pick and roll player, makes it really tricky offensively. So that's why I did it."

"JK came and did a great job after that first run where he was a little rusty but we definitely will play that smaller lineup with JK at the four Draymond the five plenty coming up," Kerr continued. "My gut would be to keep starting the way we’ve been starting with Trayce and Draymond."

Steve Kerr started small because he said he didn't want to pair Draymond/TJD without Steph Curry. But Kerr said his "gut" would be to move back to the big starting lineup (with Kuminga back to the bench) when Curry returns. pic.twitter.com/M8VYVb4iAC

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 28, 2024

Golden State has won 6 of their last 10 matchups against Oklahoma City. In their most recent meeting on November 10th, the Warriors secured a solid 127-116 victory over the Thunder.

The Warriors suffered their first three-game skid of the season. On Wednesday night, Golden State put up a strong fight but ultimately came up short without Curry against the Thunder, failing to secure a dramatic comeback.

After watching a 19-point lead vanish into a 94-93 deficit following a 3-pointer from the Warriors’ Buddy Hield with 8:14 remaining, the Thunder leaned on the league’s top-ranked defense and the scoring of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 4:11 and another with 1:25 left, giving Oklahoma City a 100-96 lead.

Steve Kerr and the Warriors pulled within 102-101 with 11.1 seconds left after an Andrew Wiggins 3-pointer, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sank a free throw with 7.7 seconds remaining. Then, with 3.4 seconds left, Lu Dort blocked a Wiggins runner that could have tied the game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder surviving the Warriors

Gilgeous-Alexander sealed the win with two free throws, marking his seventh 30-point performance of the season. He also contributed nine rebounds, five assists, and two blocks.

Green recorded a double-double with 10 points, a team-high 13 rebounds, a game-high-tying seven assists, and two blocks. Buddy Hield contributed 17 points, Andrew Wiggins added 16, Brandin Podziemski finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while Kyle Anderson scored 10 points for the Warriors.

Steve Kerr expressed confidence in his team’s defense during the comeback effort, stating that he was pleased with their effort. He also reassured that the Warriors will bounce back despite their recent losing streak.

Curry’s absence against the Thunder marked his fourth missed game of the season, following a three-game stretch in late October and early November when he was sidelined with an ankle injury. During that time, the Warriors went 3–0, securing wins over the New Orleans Pelicans (twice) and the Houston Rockets.

Kerr also mentioned that he anticipates Curry will be ready to return for the Warriors’ next game against the Phoenix Suns, the first of a brief two-game road trip.

Curry and the Warriors (12–6) have made an excellent start to the season. Despite playing a career-low 29.7 minutes per game, Curry is putting up 22.4 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game. He's shooting 47.5% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc.

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