Steve Kerr is once again advocating for a shorter NBA season.
The Golden State Warriors coach said Monday that the league would be better off if it shaved games off the schedule. He has previously commented on the pace of play being an issue with an 82-game schedule and the travel that comes with it.
“I know this will not be a popular opinion in the league office, but I will continue to say it because it’s obvious we need to play fewer games — we need to take 10 games off the schedule,” said Kerr, whose Warriors lost 129-126 to the Utah Jazz on Monday night with a depleted roster. “I think it would be a more competitive and healthier league if we played fewer games.”
Kerr said he realizes the financial implications cutting 10 games would have, and acknowledges that’s the main issue.
“I get it, it’s revenue, and you’d have to agree to let everyone get a little less money, and that’s really hard to do,” Kerr said. “But what I know about the league and coaching and how hard it is to play with the pace and the space — I think it would be a more competitive and healthier league if we played fewer games.”
The Warriors were without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Al Horford, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis on Monday night. They have lost four of their past five games and are in danger of missing the playoffs. Kerr has long been vocal on the increase in pace of play being an issue in today’s game in regard to injuries.
In November, Kerr said after a lengthy time traveling to games, “We literally haven’t had a single practice on this road trip. Not one.”
According to ESPN Research, teams are averaging 115.2 PPG, which is highest since the 1969-70 season. More points goes hand-in-hand with pace of play, which has also reached record-breaking highs this year.
Players have also combined to cover 37.1 miles per game this season at an average speed of 4.29 mph, the longest average distance and fastest average speed since player tracking began in 2013-14.
Monday night’s Warriors loss also came to a team that was fined recently for tanking. The Jazz were fined $500,000, with the league issuing a statement saying the Jazz and Indiana Pacers — who were fined $100,000 — were compromising the integrity of the league.
Kerr and other proponents of shortening the schedule have argued that tanking exists because of the 82-game schedule, and that shortening it provides fewer opportunities for injuries and tanking scenarios.
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