Steve Kerr’s illness could have him out of the playoffs, but he returned for Game 2 of the NBA Finals

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr feared he could potentially miss the entire NBA playoffs. Instead, Kerr returned to the sidelines for Game 2 of the NBA Finals with Golden State holding a 1-0 lead.

After Kerr missed Game 3 of the Warriors’ first round series against the Portland Trail Blazers with severe symptoms that put him, at the worst moments, “in excruciating pain,” Kerr’s return to the bench might not happen anytime soon.

Kerr has felt poorly throughout the first-round series against the Trail Blazers, and his condition worsened enough to keep him from the sidelines. Lead assistant Mike Brown took his place and led Golden State to a 119-113 victory. The Warriors were 13-0 in the playoffs under both Brown and Kerr before Game 2 of the Finals.

After missing his first playoff game, Kerr gave a quick press conference at the Warriors facility, elaborating a bit more on his struggles.

“With things getting worse, I just made the decision I couldn’t coach. As of now, I’m consulting with my doctors. I’m hoping for some improvement. If I can get some improvement, I’ll get back on the sidelines. But I’m not going to do that unless I know I can help the team.”

Last season, Kerr missed 43 games due to complications from a back surgery and a spinal fluid leak. He wasn’t fully healthy even upon returning, and his symptoms have occasionally returned even this season. But Kerr coached all 82 games and missed only one shootaround this year, per Thompson, so him missing Saturday’s playoff game is a clear sign he’s struggling.

Kerr continued to game plan with Brown prior to games and will help the team prepare as much as he possibly can. Brown’s prior coaching experience in Cleveland with LeBron James and Los Angeles with Kobe Bryant is a huge part of why he was hired over another assistant who hadn’t been a head coach in the past. The Warriors knew this could potentially happen, and they’re confident with Brown leading the way in Kerr’s absence.

Still, though, the Warriors obviously wanted to see Kerr back as soon as possible. Going forward, Kerr’s health is the biggest worry in Golden State. Let’s hope he’s OK for the rest of the Finals.