“You get smacked in the face and don’t make the playoffs, that’s all the real message you need, the reminder, you need that.” Stephen Curry’s remark during Media Day highlighted that the Warriors do not want to make the same mistakes. Several changes have been made to the original lineup after their play-in elimination, with incoming additional offensive players to replace Klay, and rookies like Brandin Podziemski gaining a bigger chunk of responsibility. Through this, expectations may have been to witness a change right from the start. While the Warriors have managed to win both their pre-season matchups, Steve Kerr is not fully satisfied.

During the Kings’ post-game presser, the HC was asked about what he liked in terms of his players’ defense. As reported by NBA journalist Dalton Johnson, Kerr’s response was a brief “not much.” This remark came even though his squad was able to defeat the Sacramento side, 122-112. However, it has also come 4 days after the Warriors won against the Clippers, by only a point. This showed that there is a dire need for the franchise to improve on its defense.

Along with being Stephen Curry’s right-hand man with offense, Klay Thompson was also lauded for possessing remarkable perimeter defense skills. From the way things are going, however, the Splash Brother’s replacements do not seem to be up to the mark yet. Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson were previously lauded by Jerry Stackhouse as players who could “soften the blow of losing… Klay.”

Buddy performed significantly well against the Kings, dropping 22 points through 8-9 field goals and 6-7 three-pointers. Anderson only adding 3 points during his 20 minutes on the court wasn’t the worst, but he allowed 3 turnovers, more than double Klay’s average rate. In the Clippers game, he couldn’t even record a single rebound to add to his 4 points, causing his efficiency rating to be at -5.

A total of 13 turnovers were recorded by the Warriors against the Kings. While Steve Kerr did not name anyone, he indicated that a defensive lapse wouldn’t be entertained. After all, early prevention would allow GSW to not make the same mistakes as last season. While Klay’s exit leaves many unanswered questions about how they will progress, Kerr clarified that he isn’t laying out expectations on a whim.

Amid Klay Thompson’s absence, Steve Kerr looks to keep a balance between optimism and reality: “Math just doesn’t add up”

During the same post-game presser, Steve Kerr revealed that the progress up until this point has been slow. After all, in light of how so many changes have occurred in the post-season itself, it is not expected for the existing squad to adapt too rapidly. In light of this, especially with Klay Thompson’s exit, the head coach does not want to put too much pressure when it comes to three-pointers. “The math just doesn’t add up, if you, especially for us. We’re not a team that gets to the free throw line much,” said Kerr.

“It’d be hard for us to win a lot of games unless we shoot, had volume 3s. What I like about this team, even though we lost Klay, we have more shooting depth. We have more guys that can step in and make 3s one night to the next and make 3s. So, it will be a big part of our team, for sure,” the head coach concluded. Despite Kerr’s hardcore expectations, Warriors fans can relish the fact that they are currently on a two-win streak. Setting a foundation during the pre-season would go a long way in instilling confidence that they can perform better during the regular season, despite losing one of their biggest stars in the modern era.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.