Kerr shares his thoughts on the first half of the season and what's ahead after the All-Star break.
The Golden State Warriors entered the All-Star break on a sour note, falling 126-113 to the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center on Wednesday night and dropping to 29-26.
It has been a rough stretch for the Dubs, dealing with injuries to two of their biggest names while trying to hold onto the eighth spot in the West.
Despite all of that, head coach Steve Kerr feels good about what's ahead.
Speaking to reporters after the loss, Kerr pointed to the break as a chance for his team to reset.
"Well you just said it, a lot has happened with Jimmy's injury and the trade," Kerr said. "We've got a chance to get recharged here over the break and come back. We've got plenty to play for."
A Lot Has Happened
It has been a whirlwind few weeks in the Bay Area. Jimmy Butler III tore his ACL on January 19 against Miami and underwent surgery on February 9, ending his season.
Butler had been averaging 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 38 starts before going down.
Then, right before the trade deadline, the Warriors sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, a 7-foot-2 big man who brings shooting and rim protection but hasn't played since January 7 due to Achilles tendinitis.
On top of that, Stephen Curry has missed five straight games with patellofemoral pain syndrome in his right knee.
Curry has been one of the best players in the league when healthy, averaging 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists across 39 games this season, but he has missed 16 games and was ruled out of the All-Star Game.
Kerr is also confident in the talent coming back. "Obviously we'll have to incorporate Kristaps, get Steph back," Kerr said. "I feel like we can be a really good team, and I feel like our guys are showing why with the way they're competing and moving the ball and playing together."
Holding On in the West
Even without their stars, the Warriors have shown fight.
Golden State has gone 4-7 since Butler went down, but they picked up some key wins along the way, including a gritty 101-97 road victory over the Suns and a come-from-behind 114-113 win over the Grizzlies on Monday.
Draymond Green, Al Horford, Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, and Moses Moody have all stepped up while the stars are out.
Still, the margin for error is slim.
The Warriors sit at 29-26 in the eighth seed, just three games ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers (26-28), who have been on a tear since the start of the new year.
The Clippers have gone 21-7 since their ugly 5-21 start, and with Kawhi Leonard averaging a career-high 27.9 points, they are very much in the hunt.
If Golden State slips, they could find themselves fighting for their playoff lives.
The hope is that both Curry and Porzingis will be ready for the first game back on February 19 against the Boston Celtics at Chase Center.
If that happens, this could look like a completely different team for the second half, and Kerr is counting on it.