Kings-Warriors notes: Why coach Steve Kerr likes the play-in for NBA and fans
Steve Kerr is a fan of the NBA play-in tournament, and not just because his Golden State Warriors were in it.
The longtime Warriors coach said before Tuesday’s game against the Kings at Golden 1 Center that the NBA scored big by introducing the concept in 2020, adding a layer of intrigue to a season.
This year, the play-in afforded extra life for the Kings and Warriors who would have otherwise not made the playoffs as the No. 9 and 10-seeded teams, respectively, in the old format when eight teams advanced to the postseason from each conference.
To review: Teams that finish 1-6 in the standings in each conference are assured a playoff spot, and the teams that finish 7-10 enter the play-in tournament to battle for the No. 7 and 8 playoff seeds.
“I had a wait-and-see attitude,” Kerr said. “I like it. The race for sixth was fantastic. The last couple of months have become way more exciting for the league and the fans. It’s good for the league.”
The Kings rolled the Warriors 118-94.
Klay’s clunker night
Warriors shooting ace Klay Thompson endured the poorest shooting game of his career, and he had the most misses without a made field goal in a postseason game since at least 1967-68, according to the Associated Press.
In just over 31 minutes, Thompson shot 0 for 10 from the floor and had no points. The only other Warrior to suffer anything similar was Harrison Barnes, now of the Kings. Barnes had 17 on Tuesday.
Barnes shot 0-9 in Game 3 of the 2015 Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets, was 0 for 8 in Game 3 of the 2015 Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers and 0 for 8 in Game 6 of the 2016 Finals, also against Cleveland.
Lost production
Kings coach Mike Brown said one cannot measure the loss of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk, both out with injuries. They were more than just offensive cogs, the coach said. Monk averaged 15.4 points and Huerter 10.2, denying the Kings shooting and instant offense.
“The reality of it is, I can’t say it’s cool not having Kevin or Malik,” Brown said before the game. “It’s tough. Both average double-digit points and make the game easier for teammates. It’s part of the business. The next guy has to step up. We have to find a way.”
Keon Ellis found a way. He has played well in place of Huerter and had an inspired 15 points, five assists, three steals and three blocked shots.
Jordi kudos
Brown, the Kings coach, would not confirm that the New Jersey Nets are closing in on hiring Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernandez despite published reports. He did rave about his friend, however.
“Known him 17 years,” Brown said. “He’s an amazing person. He’s ready for any job in the NBA. Whoever gets him will be very lucky to have him as a head coach.”
Championship grit
Brown, the Kings coach, said pregame that the Warriors will always be a threat as long as the core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are on the floor.
That group played big in winning four NBA championships and in eliminating the Kings in a 7-game series last season, punctuated by Curry’s 50-point effort in the finale at Golden 1 Center, an NBA record for a 7th game.
“They have three Hall of Famers and a Hall of Fame coach,” said Brown, a former Warriors assistant coach. “Seems like half the team has won championships. They’ve played in many games like this. They execute in environments like this. We have to elevate our game to beat them.”
CP3 legacy
Warriors guard Chris Paul is in his 19th NBA season out of Wake Forest, and though his seasonal averages of 9.2 points and 6.8 assists are well off his career average of 17.5 and 9.4, his greatness remains. So says his coach.
“Chris has had an excellent year,” Kerr said before the game. “It’s the first time he’s come off the bench in his career, and that’s a difficult adjustment to make. He’s made it beautifully. Even with our great, great teams, we never had a point guard like Chris Paul.”
Kerr added: “Chris is one of the all-time greats at that spot, taking care of the ball, getting us organized, the pick-and-roll. He’s been phenomenal.”
Paul appeared in 58 games, started 18 games and led the Warriors in assists. He had three points and two assists on Tuesday.
