Steve Kerr was not happy with a certain play from guard Brandin Podziemski and gave an animated reaction from the sidelines during Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
The play happened in the third quarter, with the score tied at 69-69. Podziemski received the ball outside and drove in before forcing a shot over two defenders. The play left Steve Kerr frustrated, and he was seen screaming at Podziemski.
“Pass the ball,” Kerr said.
A few weeks ago, Kerr had defended Podziemski after a late 3-point attempt, which drew criticism on social media for being a “selfish” shot.
“Loved it. I didn’t want to call a timeout; I wanted to play in flow,” Kerr told reporters after a 110-107 loss against the Knicks. “He had Brunson on him, looked like he was going to attack, and Brunson backed up. I love it, take the three, go for the throat.”
The Nuggets went on to win 116-93. Nikola Jokic led the charge for Denver, finishing with 25 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists.
Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis had a perfect night for the Golden State Warriors, shooting 5-for-5 from 3-point range, finishing with 23 points. Podziemski also recorded 23 points, shooting 8-for-14, including 5-for-8 from long range.
Steve Kerr says Brandin Podziemski is gaining “great experience” in Steph Curry’s absence
Brandin Podziemski has been the starting guard for the Warriors since February, with the team relying on him more amid Steph Curry’s absence. Curry is suffering from a knee injury that has seen him miss the team’s last 25 games.
Podziemski has averaged 15.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists over that stretch with the Warriors going 9-16. Despite the team’s struggles, Steve Kerr believes that Podziemski’s minutes without Curry have been important for the guard.
“It’s a great experience for Brandin,” Kerr said on Mar. 21. “I mean, 20 games without Steph. I think where he is in his career, he’s proven he can help drive winning.
“If he’s playing off Steph, off of the ball, If he’s playing more of a secondary ball handler role, he’s really good. He does a lot of things that other players don’t do. He’s got a knack. When he tries to be too on ball, you see him get into some trouble. The warts are all part of being a young player.”
Steph Curry is set to be re-evaluated in the coming days, with ESPN listing his estimated return date as Apr. 1 against the San Antonio Spurs.
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