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Warriors' Steve Kerr Tests Positive for COVID-19, Won't Coach Game 4 vs. Grizzlies
May 10, 2022
The Golden State Warriors will be without head coach Steve Kerr for Monday's Game 4 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Mark Medina of NBA.com reported the Warriors said Kerr will not coach after testing positive for COVID-19. Mike Brown will be the interim coach.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported the Sacramento Kings hired Brown on a four-year deal to be their next head coach, although he will remain with Golden State throughout the playoffs.
The Warriors can at least take solace in the fact Brown has plenty of experience in the playoffs.
He has been on the team's staff since the 2016-17 campaign and a part of three trips to the NBA Finals and two championships.
Brown was the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-06 through 2009-10 and again in 2013-14 and went to the Finals with LeBron James in 2007. He was also the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011-12 and helped lead the Purple and Gold to Conference semifinals appearance.
As for Kerr, Anthony Slater of The Athletic noted the coach has worn a mask the past few days and was speaking with a hoarse voice during his recent press conferences.
Golden State leads the series 2-1 in a matchup that has been defined by more than just back-and-forth basketball.
Draymond Green was ejected from Game 1 for a flagrant-2 foul and then flipped off the booing Memphis crowd in Game 2 as he was exiting the floor while bleeding. Dillon Brooks was ejected from Game 2 and suspended for Game 3 for a hard foul that resulted in a fractured elbow for Gary Payton II.
And Ja Morant suffered an injury in Game 3 that may have happened when Jordan Poole grabbed at his knee.
Kerr's absence is yet another storyline as the Warriors look to take a 3-1 lead.