Steve Kerr said Monday that the Golden State Warriors and their opponents are paying a physical price for the current schedule, and he wants fewer nba games. Kerr called for removing 10 regular-season contests, a proposal he acknowledged would cost revenue but said he will keep repeating because he believes it would make the league healthier and more competitive.
Steve Kerr and Nba Games: an explicit call to trim 10 contests
Kerr told reporters Monday that “we need to take 10 games off the schedule, ” and he repeated that he knows the idea will not be popular in the league office. He said the financial trade-off is the main obstacle—teams and players would have to accept less money—but added he will continue to press the point because he sees the current workload as unsustainable.
Warriors’ depleted roster and Monday loss to Utah Jazz
The comment came after a 129-126 loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night in which Golden State was missing Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Al Horford, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis. The Warriors have lost four of their past five games and are in danger of missing the playoffs, a stretch that has forced Kerr and the medical staff to manage rotations and minutes closely.
NBA pace metrics, miles run and the argument linking injuries to schedule
Kerr has tied his proposal to measurable shifts in how the game is played. Research cited in the coverage shows teams averaging 115. 2 points per game, the highest since the 1969-70 season, and players combining to cover 37. 1 miles per game at an average speed of 4. 29 mph—the longest average distance and fastest average speed since player tracking began in 2013-14. Kerr has framed his argument around the grind of nba games and the rise in possessions, saying the modern game’s pace and space make the 82-game season more punishing.
Proponents who want a shorter slate have also pointed to tanking as part of the same problem. Coverage notes that the Jazz were fined $500, 000 and the Indiana Pacers $100, 000 for actions the league said compromised integrity, and supporters of a shorter schedule argue fewer games would reduce opportunities for both injuries and tanking scenarios.
For now, Kerr’s proposal remains a coach’s plea rather than a policy change. He has been vocal on travel, practice limitations and the toll of extended road trips, telling reporters that at one point his team “literally haven’t had a single practice on this road trip. Not one. ” Those day-to-day realities feed into his public case for trimming the calendar.
Kerr returned repeatedly to the same closing point: “I know this will not be a popular opinion in the league office, but I will continue to say it because it’s obvious we need to play fewer games. ” He acknowledged revenue concerns but said he believes fewer games would produce a more competitive and healthier league. Kerr will continue to press that argument as the Warriors try to navigate their depleted roster and the run toward the postseason.
