Images of a Stephen Curry on the verge of tears following the expulsion of Draymond Green in Orlando left their mark, the leader being particularly uplifted to snatch victory against the Magic.
A reaction that Steve Kerr understandsespecially at such an important moment of the season.
“Every game is so important. We have to fight for everything and for Draymond to get kicked out after three minutes was really… unforgivable. Stephen may have been mad at himself for not keeping Draymond out of this, but he knew we needed it. Stephen is such a warrior, such a competitor, he wants to win so much that it was that mix of all that that led to that reaction.”
As with each slip-up by Draymond Green, questions arise about the Warriors' inability to control excesses from the inside. And Steve Kerr admits he could have anticipated better.
“I blame myself a little because in the last six weeks, since Draymond came back from suspension, he has generally been very good with the referees. He had found a good balance between being competitive, combative, playing with extra motivation without crossing the yellow line. explains the coach. “And that starts with staying away from referees. Already, during the (previous) match against Miami, he talked too much to the referees and I should have intervened, I should have talked to him about it after the match. Remind him that, for him, this whole balance depends on his ability to stay away from the referees. And I blame myself for not having done it. »
“Draymond is an adult and he has to deal with his own problems. The fact that we are talking about Steph being responsible is totally ridiculous.”
Still, Steve Kerr wonders what he and the Warriors could have done differently at the time.
“But what happened after his first technical foul (against Orlando), it’s entirely Draymond’s responsibility. I watched the video and there were several players, several members of security and we are not going to force him onto the bench, that would be even worse. That would give the impression that he wants to attack the referees. At that point, it's up to him to know when to stop, and he knows it. I talked to him about it, he talked to Steph about it, he apologized to Steph, Klay and the whole team. He felt very bad afterwards, he made a huge mistake and fortunately we won because if we had lost, it would have been a problem on a whole different level. »
The “head coach” in any case refuses the little refrain broadcast on some TV sets, which accuses Stephen Curry of lacking leadership because he cannot control his teammate.
“There is a responsibility on my part, because I am his coach but Draymond is aware of all that. He's an adult and he has to deal with his own problems. The fact that we are talking about Steph being responsible is totally ridiculous. Especially given the way Steph has carried and represented our franchise for 15 years. He was the first to try to get Draymond out of there, and he did it the right way. The reason Draymond was sent off was because when he joined the bench he uttered an insult that the referee heard. That's something we can't do. It’s deserved but it’s not Steph’s fault” concludes Steve Kerr.
