Skip to content

Kerr: Warriors prioritizing health in chase for No. 1 seed

MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images / MediaNews Group / Getty

Steve Kerr isn't risking injuries to any key members of the Golden State Warriors in an attempt to land home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.

"Health always comes first," Kerr said Sunday, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell. "So each player we look at individually."

Golden State entered Sunday's contest against the Detroit Pistons tied for the top seed with the Denver Nuggets, who lost to the Indiana Pacers earlier in the day.

Kerr has rested some of his stars in the campaign's final stretch including Stephen Curry, who sat out Saturday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks, and DeMarcus Cousins, who Kerr said will continue to sit out the second game in back-to-backs as he continues to recover from his Achilles injury. But with the top spot still within reach, the Warriors head coach shot down the notion of further preserving his players for the playoffs.

"The only way that would happen is if we were mathematically out of it," Kerr said. "And then at that point maybe you make a decision, but it hasn't even entered my mind. We're just going for the one seed and trying to stay healthy and do all that at once."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox