Last night’s game was must-win for the Warriors. Heading into the Grizzlies clash, they were fighting to stay out of the Play-in bracket as the sixth seed, tied in wins with the Timberwolves and Clippers. But Stephen Curry’s 52-point outburst and an incredible team effort provided a major boost to the Bay Area franchise. Now, they have overtaken the Grizzlies and moved up a spot, with a comfortable lead over all three trailing teams.
Although Anthony Edwards and Co. also won last night against the Nuggets in a thrilling double-overtime encounter, they still have one more loss than the Warriors. Moreover, Steve Kerr’s squad owns the advantage in case of a tie because they beat the Wolves 3-1 in the season series. With only six regular season games remaining for the Wolves and seven for the Warriors, it will be extremely difficult for Ant-Man and Co. to overtake them and avoid the Play-in tournament.
Even Kerr pointed it out during last night’s post-game presser as he addressed their advantage over the Grizzlies and others: “Now they’ve gotta beat us by two games here over the last seven to catch us. So, that’s helpful for us and we’re obviously fighting it out with Minnesota, with Clippers.”
Moreover, the head coach has no intention of taking the foot off the gas, “You never know what happens with anybody. So, you gotta handle your own business.”
Although they currently have the upper hand, things could change in the final seven games. So, Kerr understands that Stephen Curry and Co. need to bring their A-game every night and ensure as many wins as possible. Their determination showed in their performance last night as Kerr admitted that it felt like a playoff game, “Obviously the implications were huge you know.”
Turns out, he even gave the players a little pep talk before the game to ensure they stepped on the court motivated.
Draymond Green reveals Steve Kerr’s pregame message as he highlights goal for remaining 7 games
Realizing what’s at stake, Kerr had a stern message for his roster heading into last night’s game. Draymond Green spilled the beans during the post-game presser: “Steve talked about it before the game that ‘Hey, this gives us two games up on them. We gotta take care of business.’”
Yes, every Warriors player was aware that a win in Memphis could be pivotal in determining their final seeding.
That’s why even Steph decided to prioritize team success over breaking Klay Thompson’s 14 three-pointer record. While Curry had 12 threes and enough time to hit two more, he decided to create easy shots for his teammates and ensure a win. He said postgame, “Definitely was thinking about Klay in Chicago. This is as close as I’ve been with the amount of time left. After that, reality check. We gotta win the game. So, you don’t wanna sabotage anything.”
Even Draymond stepped up his game and dropped a 13-point triple-double. So, Kerr’s message did the job and got every Warriors player on the same page.
Now that one task is accomplished, Draymond and the team are focused on the next goal: “We wanna put ourselves in position to stay out of the Play-in tournament. So, tonight was a huge step in that direction.” Yes, their focus now is to hold on to that fifth seed and not fall back down the standings. With multiple players playing through lingering injuries, especially Steph, they need to avoid the Play-in tournament to keep the roster healthy and available for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards and Co. will be fighting hard to overtake their spot. Who do you think will eventually finish with better seeding?
The post Warriors Make Things Difficult for Anthony Edwards as Draymond Green Confirms Steve Kerr’s Message to Locker Room appeared first on EssentiallySports.
