Steve Kerr: “We’re playing like Drew League!”

And eight for the Warriors ! Eight games on the road, and eight losses for the defending champions, dominated tonight in Phoenix. Klay Thompson still hasn’t found the target and Jordan Poole is ghostly. And without an exceptional Stephen Curry, the gap could have been much bigger.

Even if the Suns are among the title candidates, and there is nothing shameful to lose in Phoenix (however without Chris Paul, Cam Johnson and Landry Shamet), the manner is not there, and Steve Kerr takes the responsibility of this failed start of the season. More particularly the attitude. Something is broken in the collective, and his players did not realize that they were going to have a target on their backs for the whole season.

“When things aren’t going well, one guy brings the group together near the free throw line, he brings them together and he motivates the group,” recalls Steve Kerr. ” All of that is missing right now, and I saw a lot of heads down tonight. I think we’re feeling sorry for ourselves when no one is going to feel sorry for us. Everyone is looking forward to playing us and kicking our butts.”

“We’ve had a lot of fun beating others over the years and teams don’t forget that.”

In passing, the Warriors coach makes his mea culpa. He does not mention the punch of Draymond Green on Jordan Poole as a break, but explains that he is at fault in his preparation of the group. For him, the team is at the end of a cycle, and the players are not aware that they no longer have the control of the late 2010s.

It is not the same group anymore, and the title won against Boston is ultimately a decoy.

“We’ve had a lot of success, a lot of joy and a lot of fun beating others over the years and teams don’t forget that,” he believes. “They are now having the fun they should be having. I also feel like the sport rewards you when you really get involved. If you really fight together, the shots go in, the whistles go your way, the cuts go your way… There’s none of that, and that’s why we’re still winless on the road. It was a practice game.”

Steve Kerr goes even further in the comparison, and he is not soft on his players: “We lack collective desire, and when you lack it, the game becomes easy for the opponent. It’s a Drew League game. We play like we’re in the Drew League!” And given the basketball played in the Drew League, that’s the worst kind of observation.

[boxteam gsw]