Getty Draymond Green #23 and head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts when Green was ejected from the game after receiving his second technical foul against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Chase Center on March 20, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors are reeling again, now losers of three consecutive games since Steph Curry went down with a foot injury against the Boston Celtics one week ago.
After the Dubs’ most recent defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, March 22, head coach Steve Kerr took to the microphone and called out the entire team, though he didn’t mention Curry’s name once. Instead, Kerr said the players on the floor need to “learn how to win.” It was an interesting commentary considering Golden State’s blistering start to the season as well as the current presence of both Draymond Green and Klay Thompson in the lineup, each winners of three championship rings.
Kerr: “We have to learn how to win. Right now, we don’t know how to win.”
“There’s gotta be a level of discipline, of accountability, of competitive desire,” Kerr said. “And I know these are great guys. I love these guys in the locker room — awesome guys. I know they want to win, but we have to learn how to win. And right now, we don’t know how to win.”
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Green Sounds Off on Teammates For Getting ‘Punked’
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green during a game against the Indiana Pacers.
Kerr wasn’t the only member of the Golden State bench to sound off on the team’s play Tuesday. Green also spoke to the media following the loss and offered a blunt assessment of what he feels has been plaguing the Dubs in close losses to bad teams like the Magic and the San Antonio Spurs.
Draymond Green after the loss in Orlando
“We’re playing soft. We’re playing stupid. We’re just not playing good basketball. And we’re getting punked.”
“I think we’re playing soft. We’re playing stupid. We’re just not playing good basketball, and we’re getting punked,” Green said. “It’s hard to win the game when you’re getting punked, and that’s kinda where we are right now.”
Green elaborated on his comments, noting a lack of physicality that he said is inexcusable.
We’re losing a lot of fourth quarters. We’re not really losing the whole game, we’re losing a lot of fourth quarters, and that’s execution. But in order to execute it requires a certain level of physicality, and we’re not meeting that.
No disrespect to the Orlando Magic, that’s one of the worst teams in the league. And we can’t match that with them. So if you can’t match that with them, you’re definitely not going to do it against the great teams. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s concern, but that’s what’s happening. I don’t doubt that we can fix it, but if we’re gonna win some games, it’s gotta be fixed.
Curry’s Absence Not The Warriors’ Problem, Green Says
GettyGolden State Warriors star Stephen Curry addresses the media ahead of a game against the San Antonio Spurs.
When asked if the lack of physicality had anything to do with Curry’s absence from the lineup, Green was unwilling to use it as an excuse.
“Naw that has zero to do with Steph out there. Steph’s not bringing the level of physicality to the game, nor should he. That’s not his job,” Green said.
“Obviously, Steph not being out there, that affects you. It affects the mentality as a whole,” Green continued. “But I don’t care who’s out there. … You can sit anybody, you still shouldn’t get punked. And that’s what’s been happening to us.”
Things won’t get any easier for the Warriors over the upcoming week, as the team has four contests remaining on its current five-game road swing. Next up for the Dubs are the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat on Wednesday night.