Steve Kerr: NBA Playoff Rules 'Seems Strange' for Technical Fouls, Suspensions

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is not a fan of the NBA's rule that players are suspended for a game after accumulating seven technical fouls during the postseason.

"Well, if we go to Finals, I think Draymond [Green] and Kevin [Durant] are each on pace for about 42 technicals and six suspensions, so hopefully we can withstand that," Kerr joked, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com.

He added:

"I will never understand the rule that everybody falls under the exact same category, in terms of whether you lose in four games in the first round or you play 25 games and you go to the Finals, that it's the same technical fouls points that lead to a suspension. It seems strange.

"But I do know that Kevin and Draymond have a good feel for when they reach that number. They generally are able to shut that off, shut that emotion off and stay on the floor. That's going to be important."

Both Durant and Green have two technicals after the team's first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers.

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As for how the NBA should change the rule, Kerr didn't offer a concrete solution but had some suggestions.

"I don't know. That's a good question. Series by series or maybe every two series," he said. "Just the way it is now doesn't make a ton of sense. I'd like to see it revisited, but that's coming from a guy whose team gets a lot of technical fouls and plays deep in the playoffs. So I'm a little biased."

Durant (17) and Green (16) were called for their fair share of technicals during the regular season too. Durant tied with his former teammate, Russell Westbrook, for the most in the NBA, though he avoided suspension—players are suspended upon reaching 16 technicals in the regular season—after having one rescinded. He also had a technical rescinded during the postseason.

Of course, the Warriors cannot afford to lose Durant, who dropped 50 points in Game 6 and averaged 35.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game versus the Clippers.

It isn't surprising that Kerr—who has coached in four straight NBA titles—would be concerned with the rule. In a season that could be the last in the Warriors dynasty, with Durant and Klay Thompson potentially hitting free agency, losing a player like Durant or Green for even a game could be a major blow.

And of course, we saw what happened in 2016, when Green was suspended for Game 5 of the NBA Finals with the Warriors holding a 3-1 series lead over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.