The Golden State Warriors have not had ideal circumstances. Facing injuries across the roster, the team is now missing superstar Stephen Curry, who is expected to be out for All-Star weekend despite being selected as a starter for the Western Conference. Around the NBA, whispers of tanking have grown louder, and head coach Steve Kerr has decided to set the record straight.

“We’re desperately trying to win not only each game, but put ourselves in the position to be healthy for the playoffs,” Kerr told reporters ahead of the team’s game tonight. “We’re actually in the habit of trying to preserve our guys for the betterment of our record. And every team that faces their own circumstances, and I’m going to deal with ours and let everybody else deal with theirs.”

Kerr talked about managing injuries, with veterans like Curry, Draymond Green, and Al Horford having to be used carefully, especially considering their advanced age. In moments like those, the team needs to be able to rely on their youth pieces, something that Golden State has struggled with throughout the season.

That matters now more than ever, especially considering where the Warriors stand. The team is 8th in the Western Conference with a record of 29-25, and missing several key players. Curry is out with Runner’s Knee, and is not expected back until after the All-Star break, and newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis, who is dealing with Achilles tendinopathy and a flare-up of POTS, something he’s dealt with for the last few years.

The conversation about tanking matters because of how poorly the season is going. This season, the Warriors were expected to be premier contenders with the duo of Curry and Jimmy Butler, but with Butler’s ACL injury ruling him out for the season following a rough start to the season, things have shifted.

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Steve Kerr Explains League-Wide Tanking, Warriors’ Playoff-First Approach

When asked about the tanking taking place around the league, Kerr had an interesting answer. He acknowledged that tanking happens for multiple reasons, and this season’s circumstances have led to many teams leaning in that direction.

“A lot of teams are – injuries, starting rebuilds, that sort of thing,” Kerr told reporters. “I know the league is really concerned about it, as they should be. It’s not good for the fans and the league itself. And they’re considering everything a really tough issue.”

The conversation around tanking has a lot of momentum right now, especially as the worst teams around the league try to keep losing games. Teams like the Utah Jazz and the Washington Wizards have been accused of intentionally putting themselves in a position to lose, and a recent game between the Jazz and Orlando Magic.

The Jazz led this game 94-87 going into the fourth quarter that night, with stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. combining for 49 points to that point. Neither of them played a single minute in the fourth, and Utah ended up losing the game by three.

Some consider tanking an unethical practice that betrays the spirit of competition, and the NBA flattening lottery odds hasn’t helped the issue around the league. Only time will tell if the league will take further action.