Category: NBA

A simple plan to stop tanking in the NBA originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The bottom-tier teams in the NBA have more incentive to lose than to win late in the season. Here’s how to change it.

The Sixers and Pelicans played Monday night in a game where both fanbases were justified in hoping for a loss rather than a win. The Raptors and Wizards played under similar circumstances. That’s because the NBA draft lottery incentivizes the league’s bottom-feeders to lose rather than win as disappointing seasons wind down. 

Better to increase the odds of landing a potential superstar than worry about “meaningless” games down the stretch, right? Makes total sense in the current system, which is why the current system needs to change.

If you want to make sure that teams keep competing, you must take away any possible reward for losing games. 

Here’s a simple plan for how to do just that:

• A 30-pick draft lottery where every team who owns a first-round pick has the exact same odds for every pick. If this system were in place for the 2025 draft, the Thunder and Celtics would have the same chances at Cooper Flagg as the Wizards and Jazz.

• If a team has multiple first-round picks, it has more chances in that 30-pick lottery.

• The picks would be drawn in reverse order, just as the draft lottery works now. So, pick No. 30 would be drawn first, then pick No. 29, etc.

• Protected draft picks would convey in the same fashion they do now. If the 30-pick system were in place this year, here’s how the Sixers’  top-6 protected pick would work: It would go to Oklahoma City if the Sixers’ pick landed anywhere between picks No. 7 and 30. If it ended up in the top six, the Sixers would keep it.

Here are some of the benefits of a 30-pick draft lottery:

• There is no benefit to losing games. None. You have as much chance at getting the No. 1 pick if you have the best record as you do with the worst record.  We’d get more competitive rosters and more competitive games late in seasons because teams won’t have any incentive to lose.

• Ending up in the middle of the pack is no longer a franchise death sentence. The whole point of the Sixers’ “Process” was that a middling team would never get access to elite talent. Under the system that was in place, a mediocre team trading away its best players with the goal of finishing at the bottom of the standings was a completely reasonable strategy. But in a 30-pick lottery, that method of team building is no longer viable.

• It could be a lot more fun to see top rookie talent go to successful franchises rather than struggling ones. Was it bad for the NBA when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson went to the Celtics and Lakers? Personally, I think it would have been interesting to have Victor Wembanyama on a playoff team right away and see how that might have altered the landscape.

• The 30-pick lottery would be one of the most exciting nights on the NBA calendar. Imagine every fan tuning in knowing their team had a 1-in-30 chance of landing a talent like Flagg or Wembanyama. 

I’m already envisioning some of the counterarguments to a 30-pick lottery, so let me address a few of them:

Couldn’t this create a superteam?

Sure, it could. In a 30-pick lottery, the Thunder or Celtics could absolutely end up with Flagg. Totally plausible scenario. Is that bad for the league? That’s up for the fans to judge.

How will bad teams ever get better?

Bad teams will still have the same chance at getting the best rookie talent as any other team. It’s just no longer a guaranteed chance. Also, let’s examine the five players most likely to make the All-NBA first team this season:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11^th overall pick, acquired via trade)
• Donovan Mitchell (13^th overall pick, acquired via trade)
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (15^th overall pick, still with team that drafted him)
• Jayson Tatum (3^rd overall pick, chosen with pick acquired via trade)
• Nikola Jokic (41^st overall pick, still with team that drafted him)

You’ll notice that only one of these players was drafted in the top 10. The idea that hoarding top-10 picks is the only way to acquire elite talent is just not true.

Perhaps a few teams will still be perennial bottom-feeders through some combination of incompetence, injuries and bad luck. But at least they won’t be purposely trying to lose.

Won’t luck be too big a factor in acquiring elite talent?

Lottery luck would play a major role in the fortunes of franchises, no question. But teams get these picks wrong all the time anyway.

Jared McCain went 16^th overall last year and Tyrese Maxey went 21^st in 2020. We see some teams swing and miss in the top 10 and other teams find stars in the back end of the first round. At least in this system, we aren’t rewarding incompetence or strategic losing with top picks. Team executives will have to get more creative to find ways to improve. 

Brian Brennan is the producer of Sixers Pregame and Postgame Live for NBC Sports Philadelphia. He watches far too much basketball.

Why Marks was 'embarrassed' by Heat fans cheering Butler in return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The vast majority of Heat fans gave Warriors forward Jimmy Butler a warm welcome back in his return to Miami on Tuesday night, something that didn’t sit right with ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

“I was embarrassed last night,” Marks said Wednesday morning on “Get Up.” “I was embarrassed watching that and looking at what the Heat fans did. To give a man who quit on you, he quit on them in the middle of the year because he didn’t get paid by the Miami Heat.

“I know he took you to two NBA Finals and everything he did great for you, but to give that man a standing ovation, even if it was 50 percent of that, that bothered me dearly.”

Bobby Marks slams Heat fans who cheered for Jimmy Butler last night

“I was embarrassed watching that and what the Heat fans did. To give a man who quit on you a standing ovation, that bothered me dearly”

(Via @GetUpESPN / h/t @HeatCulture13 )

pic.twitter.com/AGh3qUhZSS

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 26, 2025

The Heat paid homage to their former star with a tribute video before he was introduced as a Warrior for the first time since the Feb. 5 blockbuster trade that shipped him from South Beach to Golden State to join forces with Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

This, of course, came weeks after tensions rose between Butler and the Heat organization, specifically with team president Pat Riley.

After the 40-second video montage played on the jumbotron inside Kaseya Center, Butler officially was introduced as fans rose to their feet with a mixture of cheers and boos.

Butler, who had made it clear there was no love lost for the fans and the city despite his relationship with Riley turning sour, embraced the crowd right back.

While the video tribute had been in the works for a while, per multiple reports, the reception by the crowd stunned Marks.

“I would’ve done the video tribute, I still would’ve done that if I was the Heat organization,” Marks said. “Steve Kerr said it afterward, he was like it’s almost like fair-weathered fans who are like, ‘Oh it’s OK. Yeah, I quit on you in the middle of the year. He went to Golden State. He got his money. And now this is what we’re left with.’

“And before tonight, the reality was the Miami Heat were a nondescript, vanilla team with no identity. And you saw Jimmy Butler finally bring out the identity whether that be with Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. Two bigs. The ability to shoot the ball. They couldn’t make a basket in their last 10 games. And that just kind of hurt me last night.”

In the end, the Heat got the win in what long was expected to be an emotional night. Maybe now, everyone, including Marks, can move on.

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There were 15 seconds left on the clock when a 19-year-old college basketball player launched a 16-foot winning shot that would change sports marketing forever.

Watching that day was marketing executive and grassroots promoter Sonny Vaccaro. He was so impressed by what he saw that two years later he would bet his job at sports manufacturer Nike on backing this relatively untested player.

That player was Michael Jordan.

But not the Jordan we know now. At the point Vaccaro witnessed him score the shot that won the 1982 NCAA championship for North Carolina Tar Heels, Jordan was just a freshman.

When, two years later, Vaccaro urged his bosses to spend their whole yearly basketball endorsement budget on him, Jordan was only 21 and had never competed in the NBA. And no-one was talking about his footwear.

Vaccaro says his conviction in the youngster's potential was forged the moment he watched him take that shot at the Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans.

"That shot changed the world because of what Michael Jordan became," the 85-year-old told BBC Sport.

"When he took the shot, it convinced me that he would take any shot in the world."

But it was Vaccaro who had to take a shot first.

In his memoir, Legends and Soles, he describes how he had to convince his bosses to take a chance on an up-and-coming star, while competitors such as Converse were endorsing household names including Earvin 'Magic' Johnson.

By that time, Vaccaro had established himself as a basketball insider with an extensive knowledge of young players. In 1964, aged 24, he established The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic - the first national high school all-star basketball game.

The tournament ran under different guises until 2007, showcasing future NBA stars including Moses Malone, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Love, Kobe Bryant, Patrick Ewing and Shaquille O'Neal.

He also founded the ABCD basketball summer camp in 1984 - an invitational that gathered the country's highest-ranked high school players.

Nevertheless, Vaccaro told BBC Sport former Nike boss Phil Knight was not satisfied with the Jordan proposal "until the last minute".

Their gamble turned the company's fortunes around, transformed the way basketball was viewed globally and left an indelible print on sneaker culture worldwide. The story was popularised in 2023 film Air, in which Vaccaro is played by Matt Damon.

In his book, as well as detailing the Jordan deal, he describes how he was able to spot the potential in future stars including Bryant, Tracy McGrady and James, whom he narrowly missed out on signing to an endorsement in 2003.

'No Jordan, no Nike'

Nike's offer to Jordan in 1984 included a guaranteed $250,000 a year for five years, plus a stake in his own line of merchandise. It would make the 21-year-old, who was the third pick in the NBA draft that year, one of the richest athletes in the world.

After signing that deal, Jordan went on to become arguably the greatest NBA player of all time, winning six championships, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs and a record 10 scoring titles.

His partnership with Nike also catapulted the franchise from a company that mainly dealt in running shoes into a global behemoth worth just under $30bn (£23bn), with a monopoly over the NBA.

"My personal opinion is that if there is no Michael Jordan, you wouldn't even be talking about a Nike shoe company," Vaccaro said.

"That's the one deal that changed America's view of basketball players and endorsements. He was magnetic.

"Other people had endorsements with companies and they'd hold up a shoe and say: 'Wear this, I wear this.' Michael didn't have to hold up the shoe. He took the shot and then wore the shoe."

The Air Jordan shoe, designed by Peter Moore, first retailed in 1985. By 1986, $100m worth of Air Jordan shoes and products had been sold.

A pair of championship trainers worn by Jordan sold for $8m (£6.3m) at auction last year.

'Kobe was most confident person I've been around'

In 1993, Vaccaro joined Adidas America. For the next decade, he battled with his former employer for the signatures of the nation's hottest up-and-coming NBA stars.

One of the coups Vaccaro managed during his time with the German sportswear company was to sign 18-year-old Bryant to a $5m, five-year deal in 1996, a month before he entered the NBA straight from high school.

The marketer first encountered the future five-time NBA champion when he was invited to play at one of Vaccaro's ABCD camps in 1994.

"It took Kobe all of a week to blast to the top of my 'gifted' list," he writes. "Competing against the top 160 American players, along with a handful of prospects from places like China, France, Australia, Canada and Russia, Kobe was intimidated by no-one."

What left a lasting impression on Vaccaro was the fact Bryant approached him at the end of the week to apologise for not having won the MVP award, despite only being 16.

"I knew that this kid had that hidden thing - drive, an ambition and a belief in himself," he told BBC Sport. "He was the most confident, outward person I've ever been around in my life."

Bryant returned to Vaccaro's summer camp the following year and won the MVP award.

Taking a chance on McGrady

In 1997, Vaccaro signed McGrady, just as he was about to enter the NBA draft from high school as the ninth overall pick by the Toronto Raptors.

McGrady, who would go on to become a seven-time NBA All-Star, had made an impression on the sports marketer at the 1996 ABCD camp. However, he almost was not included after his school coach kicked him off the team and advised Vaccaro not to deal with the youngster.

"We invited Tracy because of all the backlash," Vaccaro said. "Those five days at camp changed the whole world. He was voted the number one player in camp. No-one knew his name!"

The story of Vaccaro's life seems to hinge on a number of these serendipitous moments.

"What if those people in Pittsburgh were to say no to me and the Dapper Dan in 1964?" he said. "One no and this life is over. You'd be looking for someone else to interview."

Butler issued stern warning for Riley ahead of Warriors-Heat game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler made it abundantly clear where he stands with Miami Heat president Pat Riley.

It’s no secret the star forward’s relationship with Riley soured in the months leading up to the blockbuster trade to the Warriors on Feb. 5, but now six-plus weeks removed from the trade deadline saga, Butler does not appear to be on speaking terms with his former boss.

Butler spoke with TNT’s Taylor Rooks prior to the Warriors’ 112-86 loss to the Heat on Tuesday at Kaseya Center and was asked by Rooks what he expects if he were to see Riley at any point during his return to Miami.

"I have nothing to say to Pat, and Pat better have nothing to say to me"

Jimmy Butler had this to say to @TaylorRooks ahead of his return to Miami 🫣 pic.twitter.com/RSdPUeBamA

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 25, 2025

“I have nothing to say to Pat, and Pat better have nothing to say to me,” Butler told Rooks.

Message received.

Butler and Riley’s relationship took a turn for the worse earlier this season when Butler was suspended by the team multiple times and eventually requested a trade out of Miami. Butler reportedly viewed Riley’s behavior during the saga as “unhinged” and “disturbing” after the two had a private meeting that had Riley in tears.

The Heat honored Butler with a tribute video before Tuesday’s game, and while the Warriors star has nothing but love for the Miami fans and his former teammates, it’s clear there still is animosity between him and Riley.

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It's been a long road for Knicks rookie Kevin McCullar Jr.

The 2024 second-round pick out of Kansas had his collegiate career end early due to a knee injury that had him miss the NCAA tournament. After undergoing a knee procedure, the 24-year-old finally made it onto a professional court this month with the Westchester Knicks, the team's G League team.

McCullar Jr.'s potential began to show in White Plains where he averaged 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 27 minutes across 11 games (seven starts). He even posted consecutive triple-doubles a week ago, showing the full arsenal the 6-foot-6 guard has.

So when McCullar Jr.'s injury status was upgraded from questionable to available ahead of Tuesday's game with the Dallas Mavericks, there was some excitement. The potential for McCullar Jr. to get on an actual NBA court was there, but thanks to Josh Hart and Karl Anthony-Towns' own triple-doubles putting the game out of reach for the Mavs in the fourth quarter, coach Tom Thibodeau signaled for the rookie to get his first taste of NBA action.

In three minutes on the floor, McCullar Jr. scored two points on 1-of-2 shooting, his first NBA points. When his first bucket went in, the Knicks bench cheered him on, recognizing the enormity of the moment.

"Kevin’s worked extremely hard and has been through a lot. His rehab has been long, arduous and he’s worked his way through that," Thibodeau said of the bench's reaction. "Then he made his way into the G League and put together some good games. This is his first opportunity but I think there’s an appreciation for the work that he’s put in. He’s a great kid.  We're happy for him. The team is always first to everybody. We're proud of him."

"It felt amazing. It felt good," McCullar Jr. said of his first NBA points. "As a kid that's what you dream of doing, so to go out there and finally get in the game and be able to score my first bucket was big."

Tuesday night was notable not just for McCullar Jr.'s debut but the history both Hart and Towns made with their triple-doubles. Hart, especially, deserved the game ball after the win because he broke the Knicks' record for most triple-doubles in a season. Despite that, the third-year Knick made sure the rookie got the game ball, something McCullar Jr. said he appreciated.

"For me, that’s an easy decision," Hart said of the gesture. "For me, that record is cool and a blessing, but it's gonna get broken at some point. Hopefully later rather than sooner but getting your first NBA points, no one can take that away from you. It’s important he got the game ball for that. That’s an easy decision for me."

McCullar Jr. is on a two-way contract with the Knicks, and is not expected to see much court time -- especially with how Thibodeau uses his bench -- but Tuesday night was a huge first step for the former third team All-American.

Josh Hart was on giving Kevin McCullar Jr. the game ball even though he broke the Knicks triple-doubles in a season record

"That record is cool and a blessing, but it's gonna get broken at some point. Getting your first NBA points, no one is going to take that away from you" pic.twitter.com/yHmLAxoCZw

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 26, 2025

Those in attendance at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night were treated to Knicks history. Twice. Courtesy of Josh Hart.

Hart, who is having a career season in his third year with the Knicks, posted his ninth triple-double of the season after his 16 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists lifted New York to a 128-113 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The significance of nine is it puts Hart as the top triple-double getter in Knicks single-season history after his performance Tuesday night broke Walt "Clyde" Frazier's record of eight.

The former Knick great, and current broadcaster, posted those eight triple-doubles back during the 1968-69 season. A record that stood for more than 55 years until Hart's all-around play this season put him in the record books.

"Any time you get a record, it's pretty special because of the greatness of this league," coach Tom Thibodeau said of Hart's record after the game. "To do what he’s doing, is a testament to what he's put into it. Also, his teammates and feeding off each other."

“It’s just a blessing. I got a great group of guys, great, high-character group of guys," Hart said of his record. "Means I at least played nine good games so far out of 60-whatever [games]. It’s just a blessing, can’t say more than that."

Hart is never one to make personal accomplishments about himself, no matter how great they are. A humbling character for a player who is a bulldog on the court while doing it all without the accolades -- he's never been named to an All-Star game -- or the name recognition of some of his teammates.

And yet, you ask his coaches and teammates what Hart means to this team and they won't be able to stop singing his praises.

"It’s hard to describe what he is to the team," Thibodeau said of Hart. "At times he’s a facilitator, a rebounder, a pace guy, he’s a hustle guy. And at the end, he’s done a number of things to help you win. The effort plays, that unites and inspires the team."

"The way he’s doing it is special," Karl-Anthony Towns said of his teammate. "I'm just happy that Josh gets stats on the sheet that show the impact he's making on the game. 

"There's much more stats that don't show up on the stat sheet that he does for our team. I’m happy he’s having this moment where the effort, the sacrifice and the work he puts in for our team to be the best version of ourselves is showing up…so he can get his respect and accolades. He deserves it."

Towns, one of those recognizable names on the Knicks, was a big part of Hart's second record-breaking night. The duo became the first Knicks teammates in their history to record a triple-double in the same game. It's also only the 17th time in NBA history that it's happened.

Hart has witnessed that sort of history in the past while a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Back in 2018, he was on the team that saw LeBron James and Lonzo Ball have that special night.

"Now full circle, I’m in the same situation with KAT," Hart said of the parallels from that night.

But in classic Hart fashion, his thoughts are on the Knicks' next game. The second of their back-to-back, this time against the Los Angeles Clippers.

"Just hope we can carry that for tomorrow," he said.

The Knicks defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 128-113, on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Here are some takeaways...

- Both teams came into this one shorthanded -- as Jalen Brunson remains out for New York and Mitchell Robinson sat on the first night of a back-to-back, while the Mavericks were missing eight players including star big man Anthony Davis, who returned from a groin injury Monday in Brooklyn.

- If you like offense, this one was for you. Both teams simply could not miss from the get-go, as they shot a combined 68 percent from the field, dished a total of 24 assists, and turned the ball over just one time during an opening quarter that ended with the Knicks leading by two.

- With Dallas missing their key big men, Karl-Anthony Towns was all over the place in the first half. The All-Star center was getting whatever he wanted on both ends of the floor -- contributing 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting while pulling in eight boards and picking up seven assists.

- Still, the shorthanded Mavericks refused to go away, and it was evened at 68 heading into the break. The Knicks simply had no answer for Naji Marshall, who tied the team's highest-scoring half of the season, missing just two of the 15 shots he took for a game-high 28 points.

- Dallas went cold opening the third, missing eight of their first 10 shots from the field, while the Knicks came out of the locker room with a full head of steam. Six straight points from Mikal Bridges helped New York push the lead into double digits for the first time in the game, and they never looked back from there.

- OG Anunoby led New York with his fourth 30+ point showing of the season (35). Bridges shot an efficient 9-of-14 from the field to finish with 21 points, Precious Achiuwa contributed 11 points off the bench, and Tyler Kolek was impressive again as he racked up a career-high nine assists.

- Hart (16 points-12 rebounds-11 assists) and Towns (26 points-12 rebounds-11 assists) became the first pair of teammates in Knicks history to record a triple-double in the same game. It was Hart's ninth of the season, which also passed Walt Frazier for a new franchise record.

- 2024 second-round pick Kevin McCullar Jr. officially made his NBA debut, and he logged his first career points.

Game MVP(s): Hart and Towns

The duo combined to put together an incredible 42 points, 24 rebounds, and 22 assists.

Highlights

KAT dropped ‘em 🫢 pic.twitter.com/DPqv9sUiMk

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 26, 2025

KAT dished out 6 assists in the first quarter pic.twitter.com/RqRr1v72ID

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 26, 2025

Kolek finds KAT! pic.twitter.com/e88U5iSCZo

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 26, 2025

OG knocks it down 👌 pic.twitter.com/DqV4xDrZtE

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 26, 2025

Whats next

New York has a quick turnaround as they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Why Christie remains optimistic despite Kings' four-game losing skid originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Following the Kings’ 121-105 loss to the Thunder on Tuesday night, interim coach Doug Christie made it a point to use Oklahoma City as an example.

For one thing, Christie is a believer that the two teams likely will cross paths in the NBA playoffs. That’s certainly rounding into shape, as the Kings’ four-game losing streak has tumbled them down the Western Conference standings, while the Thunder remain on fire after becoming the first NBA team to reach 60 wins this season.

Christie also wanted his players to take not of how well the Thunder played and the intricacies of what they did so successfully. In Christie’s mind, OKC was the perfect embodiment of who he envisions the Kings becoming.

“If you mess up, they take full advantage of it very single time,” Christie said. “And we’re going to get there because we keep demonstrating we can. Now it’s, are you willing to go through the pain it takes to do it? That’s really what it’s all about.

“It’s painful as hell and that’s why not everybody does it. But it’s not easy and sometimes you don’t feel good. There’s a lot of different things that go into it.”

Christie was correct in pointing out that the Kings have played at a high level at various times this season, but he was equally on point when he noted that the consistency isn’t there, whether it be from game to game or quarter to quarter.

The loss to the Thunder was a perfect example of Sacramento’s up-and-down tendencies, only this time it was down-then-up-then-down-again.

The Kings were out of sorts in the first half and limited to 42 points. It wasn’t their worst half of the season, but it sure seemed and felt that way. Keegan Murray said part of the problem was lack of attention to detail, something that has been a recurring theme in Sacramento.

Coming out of halftime, however, the Kings looked like an entirely different team while outscoring the Thunder 39-25 to make it a tight game until OKC pulled away in the fourth quarter.

Despite all of that, Christie found reasons for optimism.

He specifically pointed out the 47 3-pointers that the Kings chucked up against the Thunder, matching their season high and nearly twice the attempts they took the previous night while losing to the Boston Celtics. The Kings also had 32 assists on their 27 made buckets, their most in more than a week.

Christie emphasized both the good and bad to his players for several reasons.

“That’s a team that you’re going to face in the playoffs,” Christie told his players after the loss. “At some point you have to make a stand. To our guys credit, they did.”

As too often has been the case this season, it wasn’t enough.

“I’m not the moral victory guy, but there is a good team in that locker room and they are trying to find their way, and they’re trying to find their rhythm,” Christie said of the Kings. “They continue to fight, and I appreciate that. It doesn’t feel good right now but once they get that rhythm, watch out.”

In the aftermath if Monday’s loss to Boston, there was some talk about a bad vibe in Sacramento’s locker room. Keon Ellis had a different view, and Christie said he agreed that the feeling within the team is fine.

The need to get better, however, remains an issue, as does the ability to sustain the success for long stretches.

“I’ve told you guys, 80 percent isn’t enough. We’re a 90 percent-plus team,” Christie said. “What our guys have to understand is the consistency to which you approach something is everything for us. That means effort. That means attention to detail. That means extra efforts, possession game.

“That’s the team in the locker room. Unfortunately it’s not the team that continues to show itself for 48 minutes. I know that’s hard, but we’re not accepting anything less. There will be a time, and when that time comes you’ll feel it.”

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Kerr calls Warriors' matchup vs. Pelicans ‘biggest game of year' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Get the popcorn ready, the Warriors’ biggest game of the NBA regular season is coming up. 

On Friday, Golden State, on a two-game losing streak and hanging on to the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference by half a game, will visit the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. 

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, coach Steve Kerr recognizes what’s on the line come Friday. 

“ … I think Friday is the biggest game of the year for us,” Kerr told reporters after the Warriors loss on Tuesday. 

“We’ve lost two games in a row, very poor performances. It’s time. We got to bounce back, and that’s what good teams do. And I’m confident that we will do that.” 

After starting a six-game road trip on a bad note – especially considering star guard Steph Curry’s injury absence – the Warriors are in a pressure situation to right the ship. 

As it stands, Golden State boasts a 41-31 record, 2 1/2 games behind No. 5 seed Los Angeles Lakers and half a game above the Los Angeles Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green, who is no stranger to making memorable late-season and playoff runs, echoed Kerr’s call to action.

“Come out and play well, “Green said on what the Warriors should do against the Pelicans. 

Logically, the last thing any member of the Warriors wants is to spiral in the dying weeks of the season. 

“[You] lose two in a row, you don’t want to spiral,” Green added. “This is the wrong time of the year to spiral, so we got to come out and take care of this road trip, moving in the right direction.

“We’re 0-2 to start this trip. We need to make sure to right the ship.” 

On the bright side, the Warriors are unbeaten against the Pelicans this season. Could Kerr and Co.’s biggest game of the season also result in a sweep?

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Dray states opponents like Heat become ‘best team in NBA' vs. Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

On Tuesday night, the Miami Heat didn’t play like a team with just one win in its last 11 games.

Instead, the Heat spoiled Jimmy Butler’s anticipated return to South Beach by making 17 of 25 3-point attempts en route to a 112-86 win over the Warriors at the Kaseya Center.

But, as Draymond Green noted postgame, this isn’t a new phenomenon for Golden State. With their decade-long stretch of dominance in the NBA, the Warriors have earned the privilege of getting their opponents’ best effort on a routine basis.

That was especially true for the Heat, who had some added motivation for Butler’s first game back in Miami since their dramatic breakup earlier this season.

“We got to make sure that we are approaching every game like we’re playing against the best team in the NBA, because that’s who teams turn into when they play us,” Green told reporters after the game. “They play out of their minds.

” … It’s crazy. But in saying that, it’s the NBA. Everybody has got talent, so whether they’re a team with a winning record or not, everybody’s got talent and can beat you on any night. We got to make sure we figure these games out.”

"We got to make sure that we are approaching every game like we're playing against the best team in the NBA, because that's who teams turn into when they play us."

Draymond Green explains how the Warriors' mindset must change after tonight's loss to the Heat pic.twitter.com/i2cI53stLp

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 26, 2025

With 10 games left in the regular season, the Warriors have several more teams remaining on their schedule that are out of NBA plyoff contention but inevitably want to play spoiler for Golden State’s own postseason hopes.

That continues with Friday’s upcoming matchup against the 20-53 New Orleans Pelicans, though the Warriors hope to have star guard Steph Curryhealthy enough to play then. A pair of contests against the 31-40 San Antonio Spurs and another with the 32-40 Portland Trail Blazers still loom over the next few weeks, too.

Leading the Los Angeles Clippers by just half a game for the Western Conference’s No. 6 seed as of Tuesday night, Golden State can’t afford to drop any more meetings against sub-.500 opponents in order to avoid the NBA play-in tournament.

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