The Golden State Warriors’ season ended Friday night in Phoenix after a 111-96 defeat to the Suns in the NBA play-in tournament, closing out a campaign marked by inconsistency and injuries. Steve Kerr addressed the loss with a mix of credit to the opponent and reflection on his team’s effort.
Kerr said, “Phoenix Suns. They have had a great year. Jordan Ott has done a phenomenal job as a young coach who took over a really difficult situation. And man, those guys competed all year long and they’ve earned this and they earned it tonight. A lot of guys played really really well. They played hard just like they did all season. And so congrats to them. And I just want to say thanks to my team to our guys.”
Golden State struggled from the opening quarter, and Kerr acknowledged the impact of Phoenix’s start, saying, “They punched us early, 33-15 in the first quarter and aggressive defense forcing a lot of turnovers. And so we didn’t have it. But that had more to do with Phoenix and their effort than anything else.”
Stephen Curry’s shooting struggles were also part of the night, with Kerr noting, “Steph had a really tough shooting night.” Golden State finished the game unable to recover after falling behind early and never regaining full offensive rhythm.
A postgame moment between Kerr, Curry, and Draymond Green drew attention, but the coach dismissed speculation, saying, “None of your business.”
Reflecting on the season’s emotional weight, Kerr said, “It’s always there’s just a sense of finality that is surreal… it’s just bizarre. It’s just all of a sudden your entire existence changes.”
On his immediate future, he stated, “My plan is to take a little time… take a week or two and eventually sit down and talk with Joe and Mike.”
He also addressed coaching longevity, saying, “These jobs all have an expiration date. There’s a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas.”
Kerr emphasized Curry’s continued level of play despite age and injury concerns: “Steph still got it… I don’t care what anybody says.”
The Warriors were also impacted by injuries throughout the season, including key absences that Kerr said “just derailed us,” referring to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody.
Despite the disappointment, Kerr highlighted development within the roster, saying, “Gui Santos really established himself… and Brandin Podziemski took huge strides.”
Kerr concluded that while the season ended in frustration, the group’s effort remained consistent, saying, “I enjoyed every day… but things didn’t go our way, obviously.”
