Warriors say Steve Kerr deserves credit for start

Warriors say Steve Kerr deserves credit for start When Warriors point guard Stephen Curry tosses the occasional lazy inbounds pass or whips a left-handed, behind-the-back pass out of bounds, interim head coach Luke Walton doesn't have to say much. "I know wherever (head coach Steve Kerr) is watching the game, he's probably livid," Curry said. When that happens, you can guess what he's saying. A win against the Lakers on Tuesday would give the Warriors a 16-0 start — the league's best ever. Though he hasn't coached a single minute this season, the Warriors are giving Kerr a lot of credit for putting them on precipice of history. Kerr is on a leave of absence as he recovers from two offseason back surgeries, including one that caused a spinal-fluid leak, and there is no timetable for his return. The offense the coach installed last season, the harmonious atmosphere he created in the locker room and the competitive culture he demanded on the court all remain. The streak "truly speaks to what Steve Kerr came in and did, because it's just a reflection of the system and the atmosphere that he built when he got here," Walton said. All we're doing is following his leadership. Kerr says his back is fine, but he's still dealing with searing headaches and a lack of energy, both of which affect his personality. he's very involved in the Warriors' title defense. Kerr attends a portion of most of the practices, watches every home game from the coaches' office or locker room and even traveled with the team for Thursday's game in Los Angeles. The man who didn't shy away from taking a clutch shot and wouldn't back down to Michael Jordan, mustered up enough strength at shootaround to offer a stirring message explaining that not all regular-season games are created equal. The Warriors came back from a 23-point deficit to beat the Clippers later that night. Coach Kerr has done something that not a lot of people would be able to do, and that's put something in place ... that my guys can still run and still run at the rate I run. Part of Kerr's "system" is an environment that includes consistent playful razzing, in which no one is above reproach. his guys had some messages for him after tying the best-start record Sunday. "Steve has done so much for me since I've tried to get into this coaching world that I'm fine with the wins," said Walton, who, as an interim head coach, has his record count toward Kerr's wins and losses. "But if I'm out there doing my job to get him wins, and I get dinged with a technical, I think he should be responsible for at least 50 percent of the technical-foul" fine. Curry said: Congrats on being 15-0. Green said: We'll probably start losing when he comes back. … No, we're looking forward to Coach Kerr coming back. There's something about him — something he brings — and he always knows what to say. Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron The Warriors have tied the NBA record for consecutive wins to start a season. A look at how they've done it: Opponent Score New Orleans L.A. Clippers Lakers (2-11) at Warriors (15-0) Oracle Arena Things to watch Sweet 16? With a win, the Warriors would open the season 16-0, passing the 1948 Washington Capitols and the 1993 Houston Rockets for the league's longest unbeaten start. Kobe Bryant told the Los Angeles media: I've seen stranger things happen. Changing chants: The Lakers still hold a 249-155 all-time advantage over the Warriors, but Golden State has won five straight meetings at home for the first time since a seven-game streak from 1993 through '95. The fans' "Beat L.A." chants now ring out more often when the Clippers are in town than when the Lakers are. Bryant and Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton played together from 2003 through '12, winning championships in 2009 and 2010. Bryant told Los Angeles reporters that he used to call Walton the next Phil Jackson, because Walton was an average player with a bad back. "If he said that, it was definitely to crack a joke — not to give me a compliment," Walter said. Stephen Curry is leading the league at 32.7 points per game — nearly twice as much as the team's No. 2 scorer, Klay Thompson (16.6). The Lakers don't have anyone averaging as much as Thompson, but they have seven players scoring between 9.1 and 16.3 points. Like father, like son: There will be five NBA father-son combinations in this game. Among the Warriors: Curry's dad, Dell, Thompson's dad, Mychal, and Walton's dad, Bill, all played in the league. Among the Lakers: Bryant's dad, Joe, and rookie forward Larry Nance Jr.'s father, played.

Warriors say Steve Kerr deserves credit for start

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