The key to why the Warriors are currently at their best

Sometimes, the solution to a persistent problem is not to insist on it over and over, but to completely change the approach. That is exactly what Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors have done with one of their biggest burdens this season: turnovers. Instead of emphasizing, analyzing, or making them a recurring theme, the coaching staff has decided to stop mentioning them. And so far, the results have been positive.

The best example came on Friday night in San Francisco, when the Warriors crushed the Sacramento Kings 137-103, achieving their widest victory of the season. In that game, Golden State only committed 11 turnovers, a significantly lower number than their usual average.

After the game, Kerr acknowledged that the word "turnovers" has completely disappeared from the team's internal discourse. "I don't mention the word," the coach explained. "I just say: make simple plays, be solid, solidity wins the game, and I won't mention it anymore."

The change has been radical. There are no longer video sessions focused on bad passes or forced plays. They no longer review each turnover that results in the opponent's dunks. Nor do they emphasize that the team ranks 23rd in the league in turnovers, with 15.7 per game this season.

The idea is simple: eliminate mental overload. And Kerr is aware of how unorthodox it sounds. "Just complete ignorance. It's like sticking your head in the sand like an ostrich," he said, laughing. "And it's working."

Recent numbers support that feeling. In the last three games, the Warriors have only turned the ball over 28 times in total, which is equivalent to 9.3 turnovers per game, a drastic improvement over their annual average. All this without sacrificing their offensive identity based on constant ball movement and collective participation.

Curry understands the message, but doesn't let his guard down

After delivering a performance of 27 points and 10 assists, Stephen Curry made it clear that, although the topic is no longer verbalized, it remains very present in the players' minds.

"We still have to be careful," Curry pointed out. "I know the coach [Kerr] doesn't talk about it anymore, but we are very aware that it is key to winning the game. Because we use each other more than most teams: screens, passes, body movements, ball movements."

For a team whose offensive system relies so much on synchronization and constant reading, protecting the ball without slowing down the pace is a delicate balance. So far, Golden State seems to be finding it.

This is not the first time Kerr has used this strategy. The coach recalled that he employed a similar approach during the 2022 Playoffs, after an especially chaotic series against the Memphis Grizzlies, where turnovers became a constant problem.

"We did it in the 22nd minute, after the series against Memphis, when we were losing the ball everywhere," Kerr explained. "We just decided, after showing turnover videos, talking about it, and making it clear that it wasn't working, to simply stop talking about it. And it worked."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La clave por la que los Warriors se encuentran en su mejor momento