Few people want to take up a collection for Steve Kerr that his team had to fly from Dallas to Houston.
But the Golden State Warriors head coach was more upset about his team having to play back-to-back games ahead of the All-Star Game festivities this weekend. After a four-point loss in Dallas, Kerr’s Warriors bounced back for a 105-98 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday. But that didn’t prevent Kerr from complaining about the NBA schedule and throwing some arrows at the league office in the process.
Kerr made these comments before Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler scored 27 and 19, respectively, in a win over the fourth-best team in the Western Conference. While his problem with the league didn’t affect his team as it went to work on Thursday, it pointed at a deeper issue related to ratings.
Not for nothing, the NBA is struggling in that department, and while Luka Dončić being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers can only hope to improve the dismal ratings, Kerr taking a not-so-thinly shot at the league for prioritizing ratings over player health is certainly something.
“It’s a tough back-to-back, that’s what makes this loss even more frustrating,” a despondent Kerr said following Wednesday’s 111-107 loss to the Mavs. “We got to get into Houston at 3 o’clock — whatever it is — because the NBA, in its infinite wisdom, makes us play an 8:45 game. They clearly don’t care about rest or player health; it’s just ratings — and all that stuff. So, I get it. Everyone’s gotta do it. The whole league’s gotta do it. It is what it is.”
Steve Kerr said he doesn’t know if Steph Curry (37 minutes) and the other veterans will go in Houston tomorrow night: “That’s what makes this loss more frustrating. We’re gonna get into Houston at 3 o’clock because the NBA in its infinite wisdom makes us play an 8:45 game.” pic.twitter.com/QMSpwKTtaB
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 13, 2025
Kerr’s frustration isn’t just about the back-to-back; it’s a shot across the bow at the NBA’s priorities.
When the league’s scheduling decisions seem more about ratings than player health, it’s a sign of a bigger problem. Kerr may be venting, but he’s tapping into something tangible—if the league keeps pushing players to the limit for the sake of TV ratings, it might just end up further breaking something that’s already not working.
