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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr hasn’t been able to travel with his team in the first part of the season due to a back condition that worsened over the summer, but he should return to the bench soon. This weekend is even a possibility, because Kerr accompanied the Warriors during their recent trip to Texas.
They lost 114-91 to the Dallas Mavericks with Stephen Curry on the bench and won Thursday against the Houston Rockets behind a great performance by Klay Thompson.
“It’s obviously a possibility,” interim coach Luke Walton said to ESPN about Kerr’s potential return. “He hasn’t said he’s going to. To be honest, I don’t think he knows yet. I think that’s part of why he’s on this road trip, to see how his body handles the travel and getting into Houston at 1 a.m. tonight to turn around and play again then get on another plane and fly home and get in late again. So that’s part of why he’s here on this trip, whether or not this weekend is a realistic return or not.”
Golden State plays the Denver Nuggets later tonight, and we could see Kerr on the Warriors’ bench based on how he feels after all of the New Year’s celebrations. This game is at home for them, which likely increases the probability he’ll take over the reigns. Curry has been sidelined with a bruised leg for the past two games, and it seems as though the Warriors are urging him to take his time because of how important he is to their team success.
Kerr was obviously a voice in Walton’s ear during Golden State’s winning streak to start the year, but his impact will be felt even more once he officially gets back to the bench. There is a difference between giving sage advice before and after games and actually being the guy to call plays and make substitutions.
It bears asking whether the Warriors can get any better, given that they are 30-2 so far this season. Still, staying ahead of the curve could be crucial for them during the playoffs. The San Antonio Spurs are nipping at their heels with a record of 28-6, and whoever earns home court during Game 7 of a series between those two teams could very well determine who wins it all this year.
Dave Daniels is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter: @AllDave_AllDay, like him on Facebook here or add him to your network on Google.
