Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr let it be known just how important their win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday was in the Jimmy Butler era.
Warriors: Steve Kerr lauds team for developing identity
The Athletic’s Anthony Slater shared coach Kerr’s sentiments following the Warriors’ 114-102 win over the Knicks:
“Steve Kerr said the Warriors are developing a “real identity.”
“What is it?” Slater published on Tuesday night.
“Two-way team. Last 10 games, I think we are second in both offense and defense. Small sample size, but that’s when we got Jimmy.”
Warriors pick up massive win over contending Knicks
The Butler era continues to reap great rewards for Golden State. The Warriors are now 9-1 in their last 10 games with the Marquette product after downing the Knicks.
The only other legitimate contenders that Golden State faced in that stretch were the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 10, the Houston Rockets on Feb. 13 and the Dallas Mavericks twice on Feb. 12 and Feb. 23. All three teams dealt with major injuries to their star players.
They beat the Bucks without former two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo active. The Rockets were without former champion Fred VanVleet. They also went 1-1 against the Mavericks without superstar Anthony Davis in the lineup.
Warriors delivered the goods on both ends vs. Knicks
While their winning ways have returned them to playoff positioning as the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference at 34-28, beating New York with stars Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges active was by far their biggest challenge. That’s even with the Knicks not having All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns in the lineup.
Defensively, the Warriors held the Knicks to a putrid 24 percent shooting from three-point range. Offensively, Golden State shot 49 percent from the field. Stephen Curry scored 28 points. Butler followed him with 19 points on only 6-12 shooting from the field. Brandin Podziemski continued his resurgent play with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists.
The Warriors proved what coach Kerr raved about after the win. Thus, they’ll look to continue gelling as a contending unit as the playoffs near.