San Francisco— Gary Payton II sensed something was wrong with the Warriors even while resting from his calf injury at home and watching the games on TV. When he returned Saturday, his concerns were verified.
“I’m pretty sure you can see it on the court, just the disconnect that we have, especially on the defensive end,” Payton said after practice Monday. “Our offense is a little dependent on our defense, which should be the opposite.
We must come back to simple attack and defense, coming out with first, second, and third attempts and using our wits while playing. Our turnaround will be faster than expected.”
Two days after coach Steve Kerr hinted at a team separation, the Warriors returned to practice to prepare for Tuesday's home game against the fifth-ranked Orlando Magic
Kerr's postgame comments that the Warriors lacked “that grit every good team needs, when you pull together and just play for the group,” reverberated throughout Dub Nation and the media.
The coach didn't blame anyone, but his statements left many wondering who he was referring to or if he was simply frustrated. Kerr said Monday that he told his teammates those thoughts, but he wouldn't elaborate.
“Not anything I want to share,” Kerr remarked. “But we address all team events. I must choose when to say and not say things. I thought it was a good moment to address it publicly because we need to change that.
We are not where we want. However, I don't think we're far off."