GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 15, 2025

Steve Kerr

Pre-Game

STEVE KERR: I was hoping for a week off from all of you guys, damn, we have to play.

Q. That's not our fault. Saw Moses pop up on the injury report. Do you have any --

STEVE KERR: No updates. His back tightened up on shoot around. He's on the injured report -- injury report and he'll warm up tonight, hopefully be able to go but we'll see.

Q. How valuable can he be, particularly in the Ja Morant matchup?

STEVE KERR: Moses? Yeah, that's the matchup to start the game. So hopefully he's healthy and ready to go.

Q. Any conversations with Jonathan the last couple days after Sunday just about his role or where he's at?

STEVE KERR: (Shakes head no.)

Q. How much can you learn from that Grizzlies came that was what, less than two weeks ago, obviously Steph did Steph things, but how much that have can apply or help in your preparation tonight?

STEVE KERR: Well, it's the only game that's really relevant, I think, in the four that we played just. Because we're an entirely different team with Jimmy, and Jimmy wasn't here for the first three games that we played them.

So yeah, I mean, we've been watching that tape, watching other tape of Memphis's recent games. They are a formidable team. They play the fastest pace in the league. The Clippers were the slowest pace the other day.

The Clippers are the slowest-paced team in the league. That was, I think, our slowest paced game of the entire season Sunday.

So this will be an entirely different game up and down, and we're going to have to be prepared for that. We've got to take away the easy stuff.

Q. If Moses can't play, how do you deal with Ja?

STEVE KERR: Yeah, then Gary's healthy, and Gary will guard him, BP, and those would be the two main guys but we'll have to mix-and-match and go from there.

Q. What are the things that you have to do to try and contain him? What are the keys to trying to contain him?

STEVE KERR: First thing is transition. He's so lethal when he's in the open floor. So you can't let him just get right to the rim. You have to be able to build walls in front of him. Make him get off the ball and then get out to their shooters.

Q. Could Kuminga be an option if Moody can't go?

STEVE KERR: Yeah.

Q. And when you make a decision like pulling him from the rotations in a game like that, how much do you factor in, maybe, like the risk of losing him mentally, losing a player?

STEVE KERR: I don't factor that in. When the playoffs come -- that's regular season stuff. When you go through the 82-game season, you factor in everything. You try to, you know, help everybody along. Understanding where everyone is.

When you get to the playoffs, everything goes out the window. You just try to win each game.

Q. Jackson had foul trouble in the last game. It's something he's kind of battled with in the past. Is any part of your game plan alerting that to your guys? I mean, they seem to kind of know but like that maybe, nudging yourself into him, that type of thing?

STEVE KERR: Not really. It's not something we plan for going into the game. So you know we have a game plan, we have thoughts, we have ideas. Veteran players, you're going to make some plays that have nothing to do with the scouting report. They are just basketball play, smart plays.

It always comes down to who plays harder and more efficiently longer of the 48 minutes, and you know, shots are going to go. Shots are going to miss. But who is winning the battles, who is getting the long rebounds, who is getting to the loose balls; who is the more physical team without fouling. Those are all the things we really try to emphasize.

Q. Steph is Steph, but going into this one you know they are going to try to take him away. Have you talked about trying to get a little crafty when it comes to the game plan and trying to do that and how you offset that going into this one?

STEVE KERR: That's always part of the thinking is trying to envision what the other team is going to do and then how you can counter that. So that's definitely part of the preparation.

Q. A couple days ago, you played Jimmy 48 minutes, Steph, Draymond, 38 minutes. Is that sort of the expectation for those three individuals at this point of the season that you're just going to have to play as many minutes as it takes to get it done?

STEVE KERR: I'd prefer not to. That game went overtime. If it doesn't go overtime, Steph and Dray are 33 minutes.

Jimmy is a guy who we feel like we can play for longer stretches. I think everybody is a little different. He's kind of built to play heavy minutes, and I don't think the repercussions are what they would be for Steph or Dray.

So those numbers were an anomaly. Clippers had, I think four guys over 43 minutes. It's just one of those super high-level games. I thought it was the best game of the season, frankly, in terms of the level of play of both teams, and when you are in a game like that, with the consequences, you go for it, and you know, you don't do that in the regular season so much in the long haul.

But there's on occasional game where you go for that, you go for the win, knowing what's at stake. You don't get it, then you deal with the repercussions of that.

But I think our guys will be fine.

Q. When you're playing a team that's quick as Memphis who likes to push the pace, when you're playing them, is the team kind of consciously trying to play a little bit slower versus a team against, say, L.A. who plays a little bit slower, try to play faster? Does that enter your mind, or are you just going to try to play your style?

STEVE KERR: It's not about playing slower. It's about playing smarter. We had too many turnovers the other night against the Clippers. We can't have those careless turnovers tonight and expect to get away with it given their pace.

We talk about the first three steps. Every change of possession, and we track it every single game. Change of possession, your first three steps, either sprinting down on offense or sprinting back on defense, or crashing for an offensive glass. Those are the three things that we track all the time.

You just have to be focused and purposeful with your movement throughout the game. The fast game does open up a lot of great shots for us if we play smart.

Q. Jimmy has made 63 out of 68 free throws in the eight games this month. What does he do so well to have a knack for drawing contact and just getting to the line time and time again?

STEVE KERR: Incredibly quick first step and crafty feel for the game. So the pump fakes, recognizing where the defense is, recognizing how to draw contact. You know, as of a few weeks ago, he's the No. 1 iso player in the league from a points per position standpoint.

I haven't looked at the number recently, but he is clearly one of the best iso players in the NBA and a lot of that efficiency just comes from drawing contact.

And so I can't tell you how valuable that is for us, what it does for our team, settling the game down, setting our defense up.

And there's a reason our whole season shifted as soon as we got him. He's that good.

Q. Sunday, and even now, you really emphasized the loose balls. You and Memphis were both top in the league at recovering loose balls. How do you go from that being a talking point to make sure that is actually productive tonight?

STEVE KERR: We showed film this morning at shoot around, and it's on the game plan. You know, winning the battles. That's the key tonight.

Q. So I'm sure you've been dead-focused on this playoff matchup but WNBA draft was last night and I know you've been a vocal supporter of women's basketball. Did you watch the WNBA Draft and have any thoughts on it?

STEVE KERR: I didn't watch it. I saw who the Valkyries picked. I've got, you know, a lot on my plate right now, so haven't had any chance to talk to Emma or Natalie yet.

But you know, once there's time, I'm excited to delve in and learn more about the players we drafted and our roster and everything that they have got planned for, I guess, it's coming up soon, for training camp, yeah.

Q. I know it's different than when you were a player but when you drive to the arena do you still get the nerves, the butterflies, and maybe when does that go away? How do you feel at a coach emotionally?

STEVE KERR: Of course the butterflies are there. That's why I do this. I love the competition. I love having something at stake. I love being in the fight with the group. That's what makes this such an exciting, fun existence. You know, if there weren't repercussions for losing, then you wouldn't feel the butterflies.

And so that's the beauty of it and you learn that over time is that as soon as you don't feel the butterflies, you know, poor you, you know. You don't get that thrill, that excitement, and I just love that I'm able to still feel that all these years later. What a great thing to be able to experience, really.

Q. All joking aside about avoiding us for a week, how much value is there? If you win tonight, you still get four days off before your next game. And if you lose tonight, even if you win Friday, it's much more compressed. How important is that for you and the Grizzlies?

STEVE KERR: Big deal. It's definitely a big deal. I don't even think you want a week off in the NBA, you know. I think four days is kind of perfect.

We would have obviously preferred not messing around, getting in, having the week and preparing but we didn't get that.

So let's move on to the next thing, which is tonight's game. Wonderful opportunity at home to win, advance, give the players tomorrow off. Bring them in Thursday to prep. I mean that, would be an amazing, you know, opportunity for us.

So we've got to seize that tonight and that's the plan.

Q. You guys were Top 3 in rebounding for most of the season but since you guys are going through the smaller lineup, that's really come down quite a bit. How do you offset what you lose in rebounding, like the other night when you were down minus 17? How do you upset the loss with rebounding with what you have now on the roster?

STEVE KERR: There's always give and take with roster decisions, lineup decisions. I thought we missed Gui the other night. He usually gets us several offensive boards a game, generates extra possessions, and I didn't play him.

You know, you make these decisions during the game, who you're playing, do you go big, maybe that's something going forward tonight and beyond, maybe we try to stay bigger for longer with the lineups.

But these are things that we talk about and pick apart every single day, and make decisions accordingly.

Thank you.