Steve Kerr and Klay Thompson (Images Credit: Getty Images and AP)
The Golden State Warriors will be without the services of Klay Thompson for the first time in 13 years, marking an end to the ‘Splash Brothers’ duo alongside Stephen Curry. Despite losing their four-time NBA champion in the summer, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believed that the team has improved in a significant sector.

The Warriors kicked off their preseason campaign with back-to-back wins. In the first game, they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers after their new sharpshooter, Lindy Waters III, scored a buzzer-beater. The Dubs registered a 10-point victory in their next game against the new-look Sacramento Kings with the addition of DeMar DeRozan.

In their game against the Kings, the Warriors scored 28 three-pointers from 52 attempts, while Sacramento made 7 out of 27 attempts. Ten players scored at least one from beyond the arc, four made no attempts, and two missed their only shots. In a post-game interview, Steve Kerr admitted that shooting could win them many games. He also revealed the team’s improvement in a specific area despite Thompson’s exit.

He said, “The math just doesn’t add up, especially for us. We’re not a team that gets to the free throw line much. It’d be hard for us to win a lot of games unless we shoot, had volume 3s.”

Kerr added, “What I like about this team, even though we lost Klay, we have more shooting depth. We have more guys that can step in and make 3s from one night to the next and make 3s. So, it will be a big part of our team, for sure.”

Steve Kerr’s Two-Word Response Raises Concern Over The Warriors’ Defense

Despite winning both their preseason games, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was not satisfied with the team’s defense. During the same post-game presser, Kerr was asked about what impressed him in his team’s defensive approach. NBA journalist Dalton Johnson reported the head coach’s response was, “Not much.”

After their 122-112 victory at the Golden 1 Center, the Warriors are scheduled to host the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center on Friday. Stephen Curry’s side will face the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers twice before the regular season begins on October 22.