In case you were wondering, Steve Kerr made sure the rivalry between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets is still on.
The 2019-20 NBA season wasn’t too great for the Golden State Warriors. They lost Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets in free agency, Klay Thompson missed the entire campaign due to a torn ACL, and star point guard Stephen Curry was sidelined for all but five games with a broken left hand. Now, they’re onto next season, as the Splash Brothers will be back to full health alongside Draymond Green. The team also holds the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
During an interview with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, head coach Steve Kerr was asked about whether he’s considering changing the Warriors’ offensive identity heading into the next campaign. Kerr said that they’ll be the same Warriors teams that we’ve seen in the past half decade, and they won’t make drastic changes like the Houston Rockets.
Steve Kerr takes shot at Rockets’ half-court offense
Come on, Steve. Rockets fans were relaxing in their homes and enjoying their evenings, then they had to come across that dig on their social media feeds. But hey, that’s why it’s part of the rivalry!
As Warriors coach, Kerr has sent the Rockets packing in their four playoff meetings. The Rockets were very close to defeating the Warriors in the 2018 Western Conference Finals with a 3-2 series lead. However, an ill-timed hamstring injury to then-point guard Chris Paul was a massive blow to their lineup and helped the Warriors advance to their fourth-consecutive NBA Finals.
Under head coach Mike D’Antoni, the Rockets were known for their propensity for shooting behind the 3-point line. But after the team was eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals by the Los Angeles Lakers, D’Antoni and the Rockets opted to move on from each other. The Rockets were trying to pursue Doc Rivers for the role, but he quickly joined the Philadelphia 76ers. So who knows what strategy the Rockets will implement next season and beyond? It really depends on the new coach.
As for the Warriors, the band will be back together with the addition of a promising young rookie to the starting lineup. No matter who’s in the lineup, it will be the same scheme as usual for Kerr, who will look to bring the Warriors back to the playoffs.