Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, suffered his first playoff defeat against a Western Conference team as they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the series with a 2-4 score
Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, suffered his first playoff defeat against a Western Conference team as they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the series with a 2-4 score. This loss could potentially lead to a restructuring of the Warriors' roster in the upcoming years.
Steve Kerr, who is 57 years old, has been coaching the Warriors since the 2014-15 season. Prior to this series against the Lakers, the Warriors had a perfect 19-0 record in the playoffs against Western Conference teams. This means that whenever the Warriors made it to the playoffs, they would always reach the NBA Finals and have won the championship four times. Despite finishing sixth in the regular season, the Warriors had to battle until the seventh game against the Sacramento Kings, a team making their first playoff appearance, to advance.
Looking at the Warriors' main rotation, it is unlikely that they would trade their star player Stephen Curry, whose contract runs until 2026. However, Klay Thompson, one of the "Splash Brothers," is a possible target for the team. According to reports from US sports media, Thompson will be in his final year of contract next year with a salary of $43.21 million. Although the Warriors have the option to extend his contract, there have been rumors that the team wants Thompson to take a pay cut. Additionally, Draymond Green, although having a player option for the next season, must decide whether to execute it before June 30, 2023. While the Warriors are interested in re-signing him, it is uncertain whether they would offer him a maximum contract. If Green becomes a free agent, there are several teams interested in acquiring him. Besides the three main starters, Jonathan Kuminga, who only averaged 6.3 minutes per game in the series against the Lakers, has expressed his desire to be traded to a team that will give him more opportunities.
In the Western Conference Semifinals of the NBA playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors, with a final score of 122-101. The Lakers will now face the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers had a 3-2 advantage going into the game, and they outperformed the Warriors in various aspects. LeBron James scored 30 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and had 9 assists, while Anthony Davis contributed 17 points and 20 rebounds, despite suffering a head injury in the game against Kevon Looney. Austin Reaves scored 23 points, making 4 out of 5 three-pointers, contributing to the Lakers' dominant performance throughout the game.
On the Warriors' side, Andrew Wiggins, who had a rib injury, played in the game, and Stephen Curry scored a game-high 32 points. However, Klay Thompson struggled, and the team's three-point shooting, usually a strong suit, only made 13 out of 48 attempts. The Lakers led by a small margin of 31-26 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Warriors continued to struggle with their three-point shooting, making only 5 out of 23 attempts in the first half. Curry and Thompson combined for only 20 points in the first half.
LeBron James scored 15 points in the first half, including three-pointers. Before the end of the first half, Austin Reaves made a buzzer-beating three-pointer, giving the Lakers a 56-46 lead. In the second half, Reaves continued to make three-pointers, and D'Angelo Russell also contributed, extending the Lakers' lead to double digits.
With a 91-77 lead going into the fourth quarter, the Lakers maintained their advantage. The Warriors showed some improvement in the fourth quarter, but Draymond Green faced foul trouble, and Rui Hachimura blocked Klay Thompson's shot. With over 8 minutes remaining in the game, there was already a 20-point difference between the two teams.
As the Warriors struggled on the road this season, their morale was shaken. With 6 minutes and 20 seconds left in the third quarter, both teams received technical fouls due to a collision under the basket, and Lakers' starter Dennis Schroder was ejected from the game.
The Lakers entered the fourth quarter with a 91-77 lead, and the Warriors could only make a slight comeback. Draymond Green faced foul trouble, while the Lakers' Rui Hachimura blocked Klay Thompson. With over 8 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, there was already a 20-point difference between the two teams, sealing the Lakers' victory. The seventh seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers defeated the second seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and then eliminated the defending champions Warriors in the second round. They will face the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, creating a rare occurrence in this year's NBA playoffs where both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals feature the seventh or eighth seed.
In the earlier game, the eighth seed Miami Heat eliminated the New York Knicks, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.