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Shams: Warriors' Steve Kerr Not Expected to Coach Game 5 vs. Grizzlies Due to COVID
May 10, 2022
The Golden State Warriors will reportedly try to close out the Western Conference semifinals in Game 5 without head coach Steve Kerr.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium said there is "an expectation" that Kerr won't be available for Wednesday's game and "possibly the remainder of the series" against the Memphis Grizzlies because he is in the league's health and safety protocols.
Per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area, nobody else on the Warriors tested positive for COVID-19 prior to tipoff of Monday's game.
Charania noted that during Game 3 between the Warriors and Grizzlies on Saturday that Kerr was wearing a mask on the bench.
Per The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Kerr's voice had been hoarse during his last few press conferences and his use of a mask seemed to indicate "some level of concern."
In Kerr's absence, assistant Mike Brown filled in as head coach for Game 4 on Monday. The 52-year-old. who will take over as head coach of the Sacramento Kings after the playoffs, has been on Kerr's staff since 2016.
Brown has served as Golden State's head coach multiple times when Kerr has been unable to do so. He went 11-0 during the 2017 postseason with Kerr unavailable due to back problems stemming from a surgical procedure he had done in the summer of 2015.
The Warriors played one of their worst offensive games of the season through the first three quarters in Game 4 on Monday night. They had just 38 points at halftime and 62 points going into the fourth quarter.
Stephen Curry scored 18 of his 32 points in the final quarter of the game. Golden State dropped 39 points as a team over the final 12 minutes to earn a 101-98 win and take a 3-1 series lead.
The Warriors will attempt to close out the series and reach the Western Conference Finals in Game 5 on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. ET.