Steve Kerr: Warriors' Season 'Was Absolutely a Success' Despite Loss to Grizzlies

Despite missing out on the playoffs, Steve Kerr was positive about what the Golden State Warriors accomplished this season. 

Speaking to reporters after Friday's 117-112 overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center, Kerr called this year "absolutely a success" for his team. 

"We would've loved to have gotten into the playoffs and make a run," he said. "We were a really good team over the final 20 games. ... To put a stretch like that over a quarter of a season, that's not a fluke."

While Kerr was happy with the Warriors' play, he did call their last two defeats "gut punches."

Golden State finished the regular season with the eighth-best record in the Western Conference (39-33). That earned the team a spot in the play-in game, starting on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. 

LeBron James' go-ahead three in the final minute gave the Lakers a 103-100 win and the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. 

The Warriors had a second opportunity to get in the postseason as the eighth seed if they would have been able to beat Memphis. 

Instead, Kerr and his coaching staff will convene to figure out where the Warriors can improve for the 2021-22 season. Considering they were the league's worst team with a 15-50 record in 2019-20, this year should be deemed a success. 

Not making the playoffs in a season in which Stephen Curry is a finalist for the MVP award is a disappointment, but he proved everyone who doubted him wrong after an injury-plagued 2019-20 campaign. 

The Warriors are also going to add a healthy Klay Thompson to their roster next season after narrowly missing the playoffs.