Former NBA center and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins seemingly blamed Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr for the team’s recent slump, including the struggles of star Stephen Curry.
Steve Kerr is getting EXPOSED!!! Carry the hell on… pic.twitter.com/w94gLw2usu
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 11, 2024
“Ask yourself why Steph Curry has been in a slump,” Perkins said. “Or why Steve Kerr has said this team has lost their spirit. They lost their confidence. Right? Steve Kerr is getting exposed. We saw the [New Orleans] Pelicans, they were ready to play. We saw the Pelicans going for 50/50 balls. We saw the Pelicans contesting jump shots.
“We saw Toronto go in a couple nights before and put up 133 on ‘em.”
Perkins continued to blast Kerr, explaining that the “spirit” in the locker room comes from the coach.
“As a guy that been in the locker room, went to five NBA Finals, I know the spirit, the energy comes from what your coach is saying at practices and in the film room,” said Perkins.
Perkins continued to say that the Warriors lack of effort and energy is a reflection of Kerr.
Golden State has been blown out in back-to-back games against the Toronto Raptors and Pelicans, and now the team is the No. 12 seed in the Western Conference with just a 17-20 record.
Even though Golden State won the 2022 NBA Finals, the team looks extremely different in the 2023-24 season in terms of the level that it is playing at.
Curry’s recent struggles haven’t helped, although the former league MVP is still having a solid season. In the 2023-24 campaign, Curry is averaging 26.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from beyond the arc.
However, over his last 12 games, Curry has two matchups where he failed to make a 3-pointer. He’s shooting just 34.4 percent from 3-point range over that stretch, a significant drop-off from his career average of 42.6 percent.
Perkins clearly thinks that the team’s recent slide has a lot to do with Kerr’s message to the team. The Warriors have yet to find a groove this season, and it hasn’t helped that forward Draymond Green has missed time due to multiple suspensions this season.
While Kerr isn’t the sole reason why Golden State isn’t playing well, it’s interesting to hear the perspective of a former player like Perkins and his insight into what may be going on in the locker room.
The Warriors will look to get back on track on Friday when they take on the Chicago Bulls.
