Steve Kerr’s biggest professional headache, and his biggest gripe with his team, is doing a slow fade into oblivion.
He hates turnovers, hates them with a passion, and the Warriors these days simply aren’t giving their coach much to hate.
They’ve won 12 in a row and they’ve curbed an annoying tendency for turnovers.
Aside from the occasional “showtime” pass that lands out of bounds – or into the hands of the opponent – the Warriors have done a marvelous job of cherishing the ball. Always a high-IQ team, they’re playing smarter with more consistency.
They’ve also gotten more familiar with each other, better integrating the likes of Kevin Durant, Zaza Pachulia and David West.
“That’s definitely a key,” forward Draymond Green says. “But also we’re not taking as many chances. Just really making the simple play. If it’s there, shoot the ball. If not, pass the ball. Some of our turnovers early on were guys trying to overpass, because you don’t want to be the guy who feels like he is taking too many shots.
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“Now we’re just playing. Everybody is just going with the flow. And that works.”
Even though the turnover numbers have crept up and the assist totals are down over the past three games, the overall numbers are impressive. The Warriors’ 2.10 assist-to-turnover ratio is the best in the NBA.
Basketball coaches dream of a 2-to-1 ratio and the Warriors, despite playing at the third-fastest pace in the league, have been even better.
“The fact that we’re leading the league is a great sign,” Kerr says. “Two-to-one is a great number. We want to play fast. We want as many possessions as possible. If we can play a high-possession game, play with pace and be at two-to-one, I’m really comfortable with that.”
When the Warriors are struggling, it’s usually because of turnovers. They committed 14 through three quarters on Monday against Atlanta, allowing the Hawks to take an 81-80 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Warriors turned up the defense and turned down the turnovers (committing only one) over the final 12 minutes for a comeback victory.
Such numbers amplify Kerr’s point. Turnovers sting, particularly when they occur in live-ball situations. The Hawks scored 100 points, and 19 came off Warriors turnovers. That’s how the game was close.
Given the talent on the roster, from Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, to Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, to Durant and Green, the Warriors will be incredibly difficult to beat unless they hurt themselves.
“It’s just something we harp on constantly,” Kerr says. “We don’t need to try the spectacular. Just make the simple play. And if everybody just makes the simple play and moves the ball on to the first open guy, good stuff is going to happen.”
The Warriors were never better than Nov. 23, when they set a franchise record with 47 assists, while also committing a season-low 10 turnovers in a 149-106 obliteration of the Lakers.
A 4.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio is about as close to perfection as any coach or player could realistically hope to achieve.
Insofar as the Warriors lead the league in scoring, assists, field-goal percentage and offensive rating, the only thing that stands in the way of their offense being historically great would be an outbreak of carelessness.
For a team that loves to entertain, to play with the joy Kerr often preaches, there has to be some wiggle room. But there can’t be too much.
“It’s a domino effect,” Green says. “When you see somebody forcing passes and taking chances, you do the same, as opposed to people being solid, and you follow that.”
