The Warriors are tied for the third-best record in the NBA, but have lost their winning ways of late. After dropping their third straight game on Tuesday with a 94-90 loss to the lowly Orlando Magic, coach Steve Kerr had one of his most solemn press conferences of the season.
“I know these are great guys,” Kerr said. “I love these guys in the locker room. Awesome guys. I know they want to win. But we have to learn how to win. Right now, we don’t know how to win.”
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As odd as it might seem for the coach of a team with a 47-25 record to claim they are still learning how to win, the Warriors’ current situation might reflect that statement.
With Steph Curry sidelined indefinitely, the Warriors’ other key players outside of Jordan Poole have struggled to make up for Curry’s production.
They’ve also struggled with committing bad fouls the last two games against the Magic and San Antonio Spurs, whether it’s fouling 3-point shooters or setting illegal screens, according to Kerr. A pivotal late foul by Klay Thompson on Orlando’s Franz Wagner on a 3-point shot extended the Magic’s lead to four with 13 seconds left on Tuesday.
“Take away the fouls on 3-point shooters and in my opinion, we win both games,” Kerr said. “We got to take care of the ball. We can’t set illegal screens. We just had a couple of awful illegal screens where we’re completely out of position.”
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Kerr added that the Warriors are making “mental mistakes.”
“There’s got to be a level of discipline, of accountability, of competitive desire,” Kerr said.