The NBA playoffs are almost here and the Warriors only have eight games remaining on the schedule. They still have a little work to do, the Warriors have a 2.5 game lead over the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the Western Conference, so they must protect that in the final eight games of the season.
The Warriors should also be getting a much needed boost back when one of their MVP’s returns to the floor. Kevin Durant is expected to be back soon and hopefully at a 100 percent. Regardless, the Warriors were built for the postseason and even if it takes Durant a bit to get his basketball legs back, the Warriors should have no problem winning the opening series.
These expectations have become the norm under head coach Steve Kerr. Since taking over Mark Jackson in 2014, Kerr has been spectacular. He led the Warriors to three incredible seasons and more importantly brought a title to this franchise for the first time since 1975.
It’s safe to say that not many other coaches have had the success Kerr has experienced to start his coaching career. As a matter of fact, no coach in professional sports has reached 200 wins as fast as Kerr. After beating the Rockets in Houston, Kerr got his 200th win, giving him an overall record of 200-38.
This is an impressive milestone for Kerr, especially considering he has no prior head coaching experience. Kerr was able to join the Warriors and immediately make this team a contender. No disrespect to Mark Jackson who did a fantastic job in his tenure, but Kerr took this team to another level.
Now, Kerr has an opportunity to win his second title in three years. After failing to bring home the championship this season, Kerr and the rest of the crew are surely hungry for another title run.
Here’s the official press release from the Warriors:
OAKLAND, CA – Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr earned his 200th career regular-season coaching victory tonight in his 238th game at the helm, becoming the fastest coach to reach the 200-win milestone in professional sports history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Kerr, who led the Warriors to a 113-106 road win tonight at Houston, beat the previous record of 200 wins in 270 regular-season games coached set by Phil Jackson.
Golden State owns an NBA-best 60-14 (.811) record this season, earning three-straight 60-win campaigns for the first time in franchise history (the franchise had previously never reached the 60-win plateau in its 68 years of existence). Golden State is the first team to win at least 60 games in three-straight seasons since the Chicago Bulls did so from 1995-96 to 1997-98, a team that featured Kerr as a key reserve. The Warriors are currently on an eight-game win streak, which is their seventh win streak of at least eight games in Steve Kerr’s three-year tenure as head coach.
Over three seasons as head coach of the Warriors, Kerr owns a 200-38 (.840) record in the regular season, helping the Warriors win their first NBA title in 40 years in 2014-15 followed by an NBA-record 73 regular-season wins en route to Coach of the Year honors in 2015-16.
For more information on the Golden State Warriors 2016-17 season, presented by Kaiser Permanente, visit warriors.com.