Warriors Coach Steve Kerr Sounds Off on NBA Rules Favoring Offensive Players

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is calling for some help on defense.

The veteran coach addressed a few of his issues with the NBA’s rulebook ahead of the Warriors’ matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

“I just think the rules have been really geared towards enabling the offensive players,” Kerr said. “We have to get back to allowing the defense to guard. Every game, you see guys grabbing and hooking, purposely running into guys and flailing.

“For the last 10 years, we’ve been rewarding that. And we’ve also enabled traveling to a really large degree. We kind of suddenly decided it’s O.K. to side-step a couple times into a jump shot.”

The Sacramento Kings posted the best offensive rating in NBA history last season at 119.4. But this year, five NBA teams—the Celtics, Pacers, Thunder, Bucks and Clippers—currently are on track to beat Sacramento’s historic mark.

There was also the stretch in January and early February when five players, including Warriors guard Steph Curry,, scored at least 60 points in a two-week span.

The NBA is better off with offense leading the charge. But Kerr believes the rules have gone a bit too far.

“Everything was done with good intentions,” Kerr said. “Because 20 years ago, my last year, we played in the Finals and every game was like 73–67. It was terrible. The league has had great intentions and we’re in a great place. But you constantly have to be looking forward and balancing things. 

“We have to give the defense more of a chance, and it starts with not enabling the offensive players and bailing them out for bulls--- stuff that they’re doing, frankly.”

The Warriors, winners of 10 of their last 12 games, entered Friday ninth in offensive rating (117.4) and 18th in defensive rating (115.6).