Steve Kerr Says He Chose His Words Poorly When Saying Warriors Didn't Care

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters he used the wrong phrasing when he said his team didn't care after a loss to the Indiana Pacers last week. 

"My main message is we've got to defend," Kerr said Sunday. "We've got to get back to being a top-five defensive team. I probably chose my words poorly in Indianapolis. When I said they didn't care, that didn't mean that they didn't 'care.' What that meant to me was they didn't box out. They didn't get in the passing lanes. They didn't compete at a high level. But when you say someone doesn't care, that can be interpreted as maybe you're questioning their character.

"I think everybody knows how I feel about our guys. They're an amazing group, and they're a championship group. So I probably chose my words poorly. But what I'm trying to remind my guys of is in order to win in the playoffs, you better be defending at a high level—and for the most part this year, I think we have, but the last eight, nine games, we have not. It's not just that simple that you can flip the switch. That's why I snapped. But you guys know me. I usually break two clipboards a year and yell at the team once, so my quota is now used up."

Kerr had said "caring in general" was the Warriors' main issue after their 126-106 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. 

Golden State has been without Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green for stretches over the last month. The team is 7-9 over its last 16 games, which included a three-game losing streak last month. Curry remains out of the lineup, but Durant, Thompson and Green have returned from their respective ailments.

The Warriors have a positive net rating of only 0.3 during this stretch and have been a below-average defensive team, per NBA.com. They have slipped to eighth overall in defensive efficiency, putting them just behind the Houston Rockets.

Houston has already wrapped up the West's No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Curry is not expected back from a knee injury until at least the second round.