Steve Kerr has a theory as to why so many players have suffered soft tissue injuries this season.
The Warriors head coach told reporters Tuesday that the team’s medical staff “believes that the wear and tear, the speed, the pace, the mileage is factoring into these injuries.”
Kerr pointed the finger at the increased pace of play and a condensed schedule, which has already seen the Warriors on their fifth back-to-back with Golden State in Orlando on Tuesday night and in Miami on Wednesday.
ESPN Research indicated that the NBA is playing at its fastest average collective pace since the 1988-89 season, with the 2025-26 campaign already seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo suffer a groin strain and Victor Wembanyama dealing with a left calf strain.
Anthony Davis, Ty Jerome, Dylan Harper, Ja Morant and Jrue Holiday are also out with calf strains.
“Across the league, everyone understands that it’s easier to score if you beat the opponent down the floor, get out in transition,” Kerr said, per ESPN. “But when everybody’s doing that, the games are much higher-paced. Everyone has to cover out to 25 feet because everybody can shoot 3s. We have all the data. Players are running faster and further [than] before. We’re trying to do the best we can, but we basically have a game every other night. It’s not an easy thing to do.”
The Golden State coach has been outspoken regarding his wish to see the NBA shorten its regular season, noting on Tuesday that “I bring it up a lot” and that “if we’re actually focused on the product, it would be great.”
However, he acknowledged that it would be unlikely to get everyone on the same page with shortening the NBA calendar, especially because that would also mean less revenue.
Kerr also said the NBA “has done a great job of trying to protect players by not overloading the schedule with four in five nights.”
Steve Kerr pinpoints what he believes is causing NBA soft tissue injuries
