“It’s NCAA”: Steve Kerr & Draymond Green Sum Up Warriors’ Play-in Tournament Challenge As Kings Await

Steve Kerr laid down the Dubs mentality ahead of the do-or-die game. Even after a gritty fight in the regular season, the Golden State Warriors couldn’t make it past the 10th seed. They’re all set to take on the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament on Tuesday. That lead Kerr to draw a parallel with the NCAA tournament, expressing the team’s mentality. During the post-game press conference after the Utah Jazz win, Kerr said, “I’m really happy with the way it unfolded over the last couple of months”.

“We have a really good connection on this team, good chemistry. I’ve got a good feeling about what’s ahead. I think we still have a chance to do something special. Obviously, it’s NCAA tournament…Win the first two and get to the first round. We have a shot. We are excited about that”, Kerr replied, when he was asked about the team’s journey this season. The recently concluded March Madness took the attention away from the NBA briefly. The future stars showcased their balling prowess, and Steve Kerr took inspiration from their journey.

As the Dubs coach mentioned, a college team needs to win its conference championship to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Similarly, the Bay Area side also needs to win its two upcoming knockout games to get the last spot in the playoff.

If the Dubs win their upcoming game against the Kings, they face either the Lakers or the Pelicans in another do-or-die game to qualify for the playoff. The league officially introduced these wild card entry games in 2022, even though a version of it was already found in the 2020 NBA restart. So far, in the Kerr-Stephen Curry era, whenever the Dubs entered the playoffs, they’ve failed to make it to the Finals only once.

However, in this season, their postseason spot still hangs in a loose thread.

Draymond Green joined Steve Kerr with the NCAA comparison

While the head coach compared the play-in tournament to the NCAA, the team’s veteran also found himself on the same page. Following Kerr, Draymond Green picked up the mic at the post-game press conference. Speaking of the upcoming knockout games, he said, “Just like we need to go win… I don’t know, just feel like we need to go win, but it’s exciting… It’s do-or-die, probably feels a little more NCAA Tournament-esque.” The Dubs power forward also has the experience of taking his college team far in the NCAA.

Green played for the Michigan State Spartans in his four-season-long college career. He has helped his team get to the Final Four round twice, but before that, he won the Big-10 Conference Championship. Moreover, he also won the Sixth Man of the Year in his sophomore year as well. DrayMagic could have made the necessary impact in the home games, if not for his suspension saga. The team’s trusted orchestrator missed 17 games this season due to suspension. The Dubs have a 13-14 record without the power forward.

Fortunately, the team’s form peaked at the right period, the Dubs just to carry their momentum into the playoff and do what they have been doing in the last 10 years.

Will Draymond Green put up a similar show to carry the Dubs to yet another playoff spot? Only time will tell. Will the Kerr-Curry combo win their 5th ring? Let us know your predictions in the comments below.