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00:00River Island's guest line, it is time for Coach Kerr presented by Great Clips.
00:04In sports, success is about team effort, and the same is true for your hair.
00:08Great Clips, it's going to be great, and actually we've got a fun way to loop Great Clips into
00:13the start of this conversation.
00:15First off, good evening, Steve, how are you?
00:18I'm doing well, thanks.
00:19How are you guys?
00:20We're doing fantastic.
00:21We wanted to have some fun and actually offer you a $100 gift card to Great Clips, and if
00:28you can answer this question correctly, and in these cases, we like to play game show
00:32music on this show, so we've got that underneath you, and here you go, Steve, do you know exact
00:40to the number your career free throw percentage?
00:45Free throw percentage?
00:47Free throw percentage, Steve Kerr, career.
00:50I'm going to say 85.
00:55So sorry.
00:56Very, very close.
00:57You don't let them round up?
00:59Well, even if you round it up, you're still not there.
01:02You shortchanged yourself, Steve.
01:04Really?
01:05What was I?
01:0786.4.
01:08Okay, well, I was close.
01:10Yeah, close, close.
01:11I mean, we're not giving out gift cards for close.
01:14I mean.
01:15That's fair.
01:16That's fair.
01:17All right, so by the way, to that end, free throw shooting, how do you approach this with
01:23a team when they're struggling, or even an individual?
01:26Yeah, you know, I talk to guys individually periodically about free throws, but as a team,
01:37you know, the only thing we've really done when we practice is we'll put pressure on
01:43them at the end of practice, like, you know, you've got to come out in front of the whole
01:47team and make two, otherwise you've got to do an up and back, and so we'll try to simulate
01:56pressure, and we'll do that occasionally, but once the season starts, you know, you're
02:01hardly ever practicing.
02:03Most practices are walkthroughs, your players are resting.
02:06You don't get to a whole lot of that, so most free throw shooting is done on an individual
02:12basis, and clearly, I'm going to have to address it, and it's never really been an issue for
02:19us in the past.
02:20It's probably the first year I can ever remember that we've had, you know, real problems from
02:25the line, so definitely something we've got to address.
02:29The good news is you're getting to the line more often, but the bad news is just 9-of-19
02:33last night.
02:34Is some of this for players, and I'm thinking about pods individually, is it a confidence
02:39issue?
02:40Because it seems to me, just watching the games on TV, he's struggling with his shot,
02:44and then he goes one for three from the foul line as well.
02:48Yeah, I think for sure, and free throw shooting generally is a confidence issue.
02:55There are occasionally guys who just don't have a good stroke, and they're just going
03:00to struggle no matter, you know, whether it was Will Chamberlain or Shaq or someone like
03:04that.
03:05It's just, but that's not the case with our team.
03:08I think the guys who are struggling all have good shooting strokes, and so generally, it's
03:17a confidence thing, and you just lose your rhythm.
03:20You lose your confidence, and then it's a lonely feeling when you go up there, and so
03:28it really is something where you've got to have a mantra, you've got to have a routine
03:35where you're saying something, you're visualizing a great free throw that you had recently,
03:43but there are tools that you can use, and we obviously have to help our guys with that
03:49stuff.
03:51Take us through last night when you said, you know, on that last possession, you wanted
03:54to call a timeout, but I guess you couldn't get the referees' attention in time?
04:00Well, I was considering it, you know, I knew I didn't want to call it once we got the steal,
04:06because I'd rather play out of a scramble than, you know, set up a play.
04:12A scramble situation is exactly what you want, so we got the scramble, the ball was moving
04:18once it kind of looked like we were in some trouble.
04:23We almost turned it over a couple times.
04:26I started yelling timeout, but I'm all the way at the other end of the floor, and the
04:30only way you're going to get that timeout is if you're right in front of the ref, and
04:33as it turned out, we ended up getting a great look.
04:38I was proud of Gary for letting that thing go, he put a really good stroke on it, and
04:42you know, that's something you take in a scramble situation, you get a good look, that's
04:49about as good as you're going to do it.
04:51The bad news is 19 turnovers, and the good news is, as I was telling Mark earlier, down
04:56nine with three minutes to go, and you showed some fight.
04:59When you look at that game last night, is it a glass half full of the rally late, or
05:03the glass half empty of the overall sloppiness?
05:06No, glass half full, and some of the reason for the glass being half full is the sloppiness
05:13itself, because I know we can get better.
05:16We're doing some different things this year, our patterns offensively are a little different.
05:22We're putting Steph and Draymond in some different situations, so they're going to get better,
05:28as is our whole team.
05:31It's really up to them, and to us execution-wise, to see the pictures cleanly and recognize
05:39when to attack, when not to.
05:42I just thought we got into a little bit of a rush.
05:44Both games we've played the Clippers, they've gotten us into a little bit of a rush.
05:48They're an excellent defensive team, and we started turning it over, but the good news
05:55is second half, only six turnovers, obviously played much better, even without making a
06:01ton of shots, so I feel really good about our team.
06:05Steve Kerr with us with it in dibs, as he is every week here at 95.7 The Game.
06:09Coach, I hope there's been enough space between last Friday night and now to where we can
06:14at least look back on it with a little bit of a hop chuckle.
06:17I wonder, based on some video we saw, when the game ended against Memphis, Moses Moody
06:25clearly knew, he knew that you were hot.
06:31What was going on over there where he sort of knew right away, I better protect my coach?
06:38It was just a frustrating fourth quarter, really the quarter and a half, all the fouls,
06:46the game was so disjointed, so it was not fun to experience that down the stretch.
06:52I'm never proud when I go after officials, these guys are all good guys, they work hard,
07:00they're doing their best, I thought it was a tough night for them, and that's what I
07:06was letting them know, but I didn't particularly think it was a good look for me.
07:10When you look to impart that message, you don't normally let the passion get the best
07:15of you, but what is the way that you feel like you can impart that, because the crew
07:19did have a rough second half, and you do want to get that point across, and we all wait
07:23for the last two-minute report, which is a bunch of hooey, if you ask me, because they
07:27don't fix anything, but how do you get your frustrations out in the appropriate way?
07:33Well, you try to be patient and have civil conversations with the officials, and I felt
07:44that that was happening through most of the game, and then I just sort of lost my mind,
07:50so yeah, it's just, I'm pretty competitive, and I can snap once in a while, whether it's
07:58on the team, or on a clipboard, or on a ref, and like I said, I'm not proud of those moments,
08:05but it is who I am.
08:07Or heck, even Steph Curry sometimes, right, like how about this, Steve, I don't know if
08:13you heard this yet, but Draymond went on the podcast and was sharing a little bit of
08:18his perspective when he was watching you kind of get on Steph at the end of that Boston
08:24game.
08:25Have you heard yet what he said about that?
08:26No.
08:27Okay, here, let's play it for everybody, would love to hear your perspective on what his
08:32perspective was.
08:34I'm immediately watching that, and I see it, and I'm watching Steph's reaction, and how
08:39he responds to it, because if he responds negatively, I've already told myself, like,
08:44I need to go talk to Coach, and make sure Coach understands the reaction, you know what
08:48I'm saying, to make sure Coach understands, hey, Steph ain't respond great to you yelling
08:53at him like that, let's just keep an eye on that, so that's already my mindset.
08:58You have to know what makes your guys tick, and what makes them not, you know what I'm
09:04saying, so I'm watching that like a hawk.
09:06In turn, I'm then watching the post-game press conferences, and Steph's like, nah, I want
09:10to be coached like everybody else.
09:12That statement lines up with the way you continue to play after you and Steve had your moment.
09:17I wash my hands, and I'm on to the next thing.
09:20I think that's a fascinating view to the inside of how you guys as a group kind of handle
09:26a situation like that.
09:28What's your response to what he's saying there?
09:32I think he's dead on.
09:33I think it's my job as a coach to know how everyone's going to react, and I learned in
09:38year one with Steph that I could yell at him, and I would get a good response.
09:43He does want to be coached.
09:44What he said to the media afterwards is the truth, and I've had experiences with other
09:52guys where I yelled at them, or got on them, and they didn't respond well, and I marked
09:59that in my mental Rolodex, and I didn't yell at them anymore in the game because that wasn't
10:05an effective way to coach them.
10:08It's up to me to understand how each guy's going to respond.
10:11I think the biggest thing, and Steph knows this, Draymond knows this, I'm coaching those
10:17two guys this year to take care of the ball because if they don't, we can't win.
10:22I've said this to the media many times.
10:25We can't play like we did five years ago and expect to win because we don't have an
10:30overwhelming talent advantage like we did then.
10:35It's up to me as a coach to demand the things that we need to do to win the game, and both
10:40Steph and Draymond understand that and respect that, and that's why they let me coach them.
10:45Do you have to have a little bit more turnover tolerance this year, Steve, because you're
10:49asking for a faster pace, and you're also asking for more ball movement?
10:53No.
10:54No, because the counter to that is we are much more organized this year than we have
11:01been in the past.
11:02In the past, we haven't insisted on perfect spacing, and we haven't insisted on getting
11:08to spots and then playing secondary offense out of the brick.
11:13We've really given them a lot of freedom, and it's been very successful, but the last
11:19couple years, we have not done well.
11:23We won one playoff round in two years, so this year required some changes.
11:28We're still moving the ball, but we're doing it out of more structure, and we're demanding
11:34this structure, and we're getting there.
11:37We have a long ways to go, but I'm really encouraged.
11:39Even watching the tape last night, there's a lot of good stuff, and all this stuff is
11:42really nuanced.
11:43You're not going to be able to see it just by me saying this.
11:48I'd have to kind of break down the tape with you, but because we're doing some different
11:52things, we're demanding different things, that doesn't give them license to turn it
11:59over.
12:00In fact, it's the exact opposite.
12:03We're demanding that they take care of the ball as we get better organized and better
12:11spaced.
12:12Coach Steve Kerr with us here on Withered and Dibs.
12:13I know he's out tomorrow, but do you have any further update on De'Anthony Melton?
12:20Not yet.
12:21Not yet.
12:22He'll be available soon.
12:23He's been seeking other opinions, and we've really been evaluating everything, just trying
12:30to get him the best advice he can get.
12:36We're obviously very concerned.
12:39Any time you're talking about an ACL, I had one in college, and tore it completely and
12:46had surgery.
12:47It's a serious injury, so we're really taking our time and making sure De'Anthony gets all
12:56of the advice he needs.
12:59Staff with a less serious knee ailment, I won't even say injury, reportedly probable
13:05with bursitis.
13:06Are you and the staff starting to already take a little bit of a look at where you might
13:10be able to give him rest?
13:11I don't want to use the phrase load management, because that's a dirty word, and I could lose
13:16my job for cursing like that, but are you guys starting to look at it, Steve, early on?
13:23No, we honestly just sort of take it week by week, and how's Jeff feeling, if he banged
13:35up at all, what's his schedule look like.
13:38He has had the knee issue, and so we'll continue to monitor it.
13:45If he's injured and needs to sit, then he's going to sit, and that's the way it is.
13:51So we'll just navigate the season as best we can.
13:56Even when he is playing, it feels like this year the quote non-staff minutes are more
14:02productive than they were last year.
14:04How are you feeling about non-staff minutes?
14:08I feel great about them.
14:10I think we have such a deep team, we have so many guys who can make decisions and handle
14:18the ball, so I think our non-staff minutes to this point have been really good.
14:25I haven't looked at the numbers, but I believe they're well on the positive side, and that's
14:32a testament to our players and the depth of our roster and the job that Mike Dunleavy
14:38and his staff did this past summer.
14:41I really love this group, I love the way the pieces of the puzzle fit, and I've said it
14:49this first month of the season, I think we're better suited to handle those non-staff minutes,
14:54non-Draymond minutes, than we have been for a long time.
14:58Jonathan Kaminga has been a big key coming off the bench, and it's been a couple of full
15:02weeks now of him being ostensibly a sixth man for you.
15:06How comfortable is he getting with this role, and are you seeing this now as really the
15:11long-term fit for Jonathan?
15:14I like the role for him because he gives us something that we need, that force, that ability
15:21to get to the rim, ability to get fouled.
15:24He's had a great run here coming off the bench, so I anticipate that will continue.
15:31You're always one injury away from everything changing, potentially.
15:36You just take it game by game, but I love what JK's doing for us.
15:41His attitude and his approach have been fantastic.
15:47The team has come together well, everybody's committed, and it's fun to watch.
15:51Steve Kerr with us, Willard and Dibbs.
15:53Coach, I could throw numbers out to our audience, but when I think of Brandon Pajemski, I think
15:59you've always talked about all the things that he does that don't really show up in numbers,
16:05but some of the numbers don't, even the non-numbers.
16:09His play right now, he looks like he's searching a little bit.
16:12What do you see?
16:14Yeah, same.
16:15He's searching a little bit.
16:16This is not unusual for a young player to have a bump in the road.
16:24He's such a good player.
16:25He just has such good feel for the game and for what wins.
16:33Even during his shooting struggles, he's playing at a really high level,
16:40but we know he can play a lot better, and that's exciting.
16:430-4, 16 minutes, 1 point, yet a plus-2 in the plus-minus.
16:48I know it's a small sample, but that to me is indicative of a guy who is at least
16:53contributing to winning basketball.
16:56He seems to be on the plus side every single game.
17:00You see the subtle things that he does.
17:03I thought his rebounding against Memphis to start the second half,
17:07we started him in the second half because Lindy was injured,
17:12and he got three or four rebounds in traffic, and then we went down and scored
17:17the other end and broke the game open.
17:20Those plays are massive.
17:22The ability to get the ball out of traffic and make the right pass
17:30and create the advantage that you need offensively,
17:32he does stuff like that all the time.
17:34He's a winning player, and he's going to get a lot better
17:38as he finds his groove again.
17:40Steve, I want to jump out of the box here for a second and ask you something.
17:44Your perspective on something I hear a lot of people right now say
17:48about the San Francisco 49ers.
17:50I wonder if you can relate.
17:51Really, really big expectations.
17:54A team that has gone through a number of years of playing extra games,
17:59going into January, going into February, and people are looking at them now
18:04and wondering if there's sort of an emotional exhaustion
18:08that might be affecting them in some way.
18:11I wonder what your perspective is, having been on a run with so many teams
18:16that play so much extra basketball.
18:20I want to be clear that I'm not talking about the Niners
18:25because I don't know what the vibe is in the building,
18:29but I can say from experience that you have a run like this
18:34that lasts six, seven years.
18:36It is exhausting.
18:37There's no question.
18:39You're climbing the mountaintop and trying to get there year after year,
18:45and you get there and then you've got to start all over again.
18:49It's not easy.
18:51This stuff is so competitive.
18:54Everybody's gearing for you.
18:56Man, it's tough.
18:58So we've been there and we understand that kind of emotional wear and tear
19:05for sure.
19:06And when you got there to that point in the Toronto loss
19:09and then there was the pandemic and then it was the play and miss
19:12and then you got back and you won another title.
19:14Did it take a couple of years to really reestablish that authentic hunger
19:19to get back there or is that an overstatement?
19:21No, I think that's fair.
19:24We obviously lost a ton of guys that first year after the Toronto series.
19:33So that was tough.
19:36But I do think that having a couple of down seasons,
19:41not making the playoffs gave guys a longer offseason,
19:46made them hungrier, and that did set up the 22 season for sure.
19:51Hey, Steve, is it too early for looking at any standings whatsoever
19:56and at least making the judgment that, boy,
19:59the West looks a lot deeper than the East
20:04and so we can predict the complaints at the end of the season of like,
20:09somebody who won 45 games missed the playoffs,
20:12but in the East they won 36 and they're the sixth seed.
20:15Yeah.
20:17Yeah, I mean, it might happen.
20:18We'll see how it plays out.
20:20It's obviously early, but it does appear the West is much deeper
20:23than the East this year.
20:27But that's why we have to be on top of our game.
20:30That's why I have to yell at Steph Curry for a turnover.
20:33That's why I have to demand the things that I need to demand because,
20:37I mean, a year ago we missed the playoffs by two games.
20:40And two years prior to that, I think we won, if I'm not mistaken,
20:46we won 51 games and won the championship.
20:50So the difference between being in a great spot in the playoffs
20:56with a good seed and having a chance for things to break your way
20:59versus you're in the play-in and you have a bad night and you're out.
21:04I mean, it's very slim.
21:06The margins are so slim with all this stuff,
21:08and especially now in the West given how deep the whole conference is.
21:13I'm less concerned with the West than I am Group C.
21:162-0, Steve, off to a good start in the NBA Cup.
21:20Does it get the juices flowing when you have one of these cup games,
21:24knowing that you guys are just a couple of wins away
21:26from maybe something special and unique?
21:30It actually does.
21:32It's funny, my impression here in year two is that if you can win the first one
21:39or two like we have, then all of a sudden your ears perk up.
21:45And if things go wrong, if you've got a bunch of injuries or whatever
21:49and you have a tough night and lose the first one,
21:52maybe all of a sudden you're just kind of like,
21:54well, it's not meant to be.
21:57Our guys are excited.
21:59We have another cup game in New Orleans this week.
22:03If we win that one, we're in great shape.
22:05We'd be 3-0 and everybody else has at least a loss.
22:10It would be pretty interesting to advance.
22:15Our guys are competitors.
22:17They love to win, and it would be fun to advance
22:21and see if we could get going on that thing.
22:24Steve, I thought I read your lips after the Memphis game.
22:27What you said to that ref was,
22:29this is the NBA Cup and you're ruining our chances.
22:32Something like that.
22:36Point differential is a thing.
22:38Point differential.
22:40Hey, a couple of quick things before you go, Steve.
22:42How's Kevon Looney feeling, and might he play tomorrow night?
22:46He's feeling better.
22:48He got a workout in today.
22:50I think he's questionable for tomorrow,
22:54but knowing Loon, I think he'll be ready to go.
22:57Reportedly, the Dodgers meeting with Juan Soto today.
23:01Your thoughts?
23:03Oh, my God.
23:06I don't think they need any more talent on their team.
23:09How about the Giants getting a meeting with Soto?
23:12TBD, Steve.
23:15All right.
23:17I hope they do, because watching that guy hit,
23:22there might not be a better guy to watch.
23:25The way he glares at the pitcher,
23:28nods his head after a good pitch,
23:32kind of agrees with the pitcher's choice.
23:36I love watching that guy hit.
23:38He is incredible.
23:40I hope he comes here.
23:42That would be fun to watch every night.
23:43It would be great to see him hit 420 feet out to right center
23:46and having the right fielder catch it, don't you think?
23:48Well, I appreciate you guys.
23:54Thanks for having me on.
23:55Yeah, thank you, Steve.
23:56Thanks, Steve.
23:57We'll talk to you next week.
23:58Yeah, sounds good.
23:59All right.
24:00Okay, take care.