Kerr counting on role players to step up for Warriors
PHOENIX -- The last time Golden State faced the Phoenix Suns, Warriors coach Steve Kerr turned most of the game-day operations over to his players. Andre Iguodala ran the pregame shoot-around, JaVale McGee ran the computer during film study and Iguodala, Draymond Green and David West had a large hand in calling plays and running huddles during timeouts, according to reports. The game was so one-sided -- the 129-83 victory on Feb. 12 was the Warriors' second-largest winning margin this season -- that Kerr made sure to track down Suns interim coach Jay Triano afterward to assure him no disrespect was meant. "It had to do with me trying to reach my team," Kerr told reporters after the game. "They were tired of my voice. I'm tired of my voice. I wasn't reaching them so we figured this was a good night to pull something out of the hat. "It's the players' team. It's their team, and they have to take ownership of it," Kerr said. "As coaches, our job is to nudge them in the right direction, guide them. We don't control them. They determine their own fate. I don't think we've focused well the last month. It just seemed like the right thing to do." But the Warriors' fortunes have changed of late. Golden State (52-17) dropped a 98-93 decision to Sacramento on Friday and now have lost three of four games. As the regular season winds down, Kerr will have to somehow get his troops to reach down deep and understand their roles. And Kerr will be doing this without Klay Thompson (broken right thumb), Kevin Durant, (fractured rib) and Steph Curry (ankle). Adversity has a way of bringing teammates closer together and the next two to three weeks will be telling for Golden State. Durant is expected to be out two-to-three weeks with an incomplete rib cartilage fracture discovered in an MRI on Friday. "(It's a) different type of pain than I have felt before, so I didn't really know what it was," Durant said at a news conference Friday. "I am just glad I got it looked at." Kerr is hoping the bench understands its role and that the team can stay close to the Houston Rockets as they vie for the top seed in the Western Conference. "We're in good shape," Kerr said. "We've just got to survive this next slate of games. Then, we'll hopefully start getting guys back and get rolling again for the playoffs." There's no postseason for the woeful Suns (19-51), have lost seven in a row, 17 of 18 and 22 of 24 games. The only victories since beating Denver 108-100 on Jan. 19 were at home against Dallas and on the road at Memphis. The Suns are 9-25 at home, the worst home record in the league. No other team has fewer than 12 home wins, and only Memphis (18-50) has a worse overall record. To make the Suns' situation gloomier, leading scorer Devin Booker is listed as questionable for Saturday's game because of a sprained right hand. Booker was 3 of 18 when the Suns lost 116-88 at Utah on Thursday. The frustration of a long losing streak bubbled to the surface midway through the third quarter against the Jazz after Marquese Chriss hit the ground hard on a failed dunk attempt. Jared Dudley intentionally fouled Ricky Rubio, who exchanged words with Dudley. Chriss shoved Rubio setting off fireworks. Dudley was given a flagrant 2 foul and ejected, and Chriss also was ejected for shoving Rubio. Utah guards Joe Ingles and Donovan Mitchell were given technical fouls for getting involved in the scrum. There was no immediate word on possible suspensions, although Chriss said he had been contacted by the league office. "A lot of frustration," Booker said. "It happens in the NBA. ... Over the course of the season and tonight, a mix of it all. "There should be frustration." |