The Golden State Warriors shrunk their rotation against the Houston Rockets and then expanded it in Game 6 after Kevin Durant was hurt in Game 5, and that continued against the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals.
“Well, we had to,” Kerr said of expanding the bench. “When you’re missing Kevin Durant, you can’t replace Kevin with one guy. You have to replace him with three or four night after night.”
The Warriors played a style against the Rockets that runs counter to the preferences of Kerr.
“I didn’t enjoy the Houston series, but I also felt like it was necessary to play that way to beat Houston,” Kerr said on Monday of shrinking his rotation and playing iso ball. “I hated playing everybody 40-plus minutes and not trusting the bench, but I think Houston forced us to do it. James Harden is a very unique player.”
Kerr added, “I love how that series ended. Game 6 was one of my favorite games that I’d ever coached because Kevin isn’t there and our bench comes up huge. Quinn (Cook) plays well, Jonas (Jerebko) plays well and Shaun Livingston has a big impact and (Kevon) Looney comes through.”