Steve Kerr and his Golden State Warriors were preparing for the film session ahead of Sunday’s tip-off against the Denver Nuggets. However, another game was on everybody’s mind. The Warriors’ longtime team doctor, Rick Celebrini, and his son, Macklin Celebrini, and his Canadian Ice Hockey team were facing Finland in the Winter Olympics semi-final.

The Warriors postponed the film session and sat down to watch the last two minutes of the game. Although Kerr doesn’t know much about the sport, it wasn’t hard for him to see how important the 19-year-old was to his team. Kerr also hilariously trolled Rick.

“When they flash to Rick and the family in the stands to see the joy on their faces, the pride, and then watching Macklin,” the Warriors coach said. “I mean, I don’t know a ton about hockey, but it’s pretty obvious that at 19, he’s one of their most trusted players and seems to be on the ice an awful lot at the most critical times. And pretty remarkable at that age that he can become that trusted, that good, this quickly.”

“Especially in the face of such poor parenting growing up. I don’t know how he’s been able to overcome. Thank God for Robin, that’s what I would say. Mom clearly has done a lot of work here.”

Rick has been with the Warriors since 2018. Macklin had also joined his father and often worked out at the Warriors’ facility. The Canadian sensation also developed a good relationship with the staff.

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“I don’t know the sport well enough to really understand what I’m looking at, but what I feel is that Macklin has the combination that is so rare of incredible talent and unbelievable leadership, maturity, and humanity. He gets it… It’s not just the talent, it’s the intangibles, and Macklin seems to have the intangibles.”

Canada will take on Team USA in the gold medal game on Sunday. Kerr quipped that he would wake up early to tune before heading to the Warriors’ facility.

While Macklin’s success is definitely good news for the Warriors camp, Kerr has his own set of worries weighing on his shoulders. The greatest coach of this generation is now faced with a harsh reality. With Jimmy Butler’s season-ending injury and Stephen Curry’s lingering knee issue, Kerr doesn’t have much hope left for his current squad.

Steve Kerr gives a brutal assessment of Warriors’ season amid injury chaos

The Warriors had a great one-month stretch starting in late December. It seemed like they were finally finding their identity. However, since then, the Dubs have played average basketball, and understandably so, given the injuries that have plagued their season. So, when Kerr was asked about the ceiling for his team going forward into the season, he didn’t bend his words.

“We still have a good team, a very good team. Even without Jimmy (Butler), we can make a playoff run. The ceiling is absolutely lower. I’m not going to sit here and lie and say we can be as good as we were with Jimmy, there’s no way,” Kerr said when asked about the Warriors’ ceiling from this season.

With Butler out for the season and Curry still dealing with a knee injury, Kerr is relying on his remaining squad to carry the load.

“But I believe in these guys. I believe in the chemistry. I believe in the veteran leadership. We have good health, I think. We can make a really good push and be a playoff team, and when you’re a playoff team, you never know how it plays out,” added Kerr.

The Dubs have one of the most demanding schedules in the next two weeks. During this stretch, they will either have Curry out with a runner’s knee injury or, when he comes back, he will be on a minute restriction. However, there is also good news. In the remainder of the season, the Warriors have one of the easiest schedules in the West, while teams ahead of them have some of the toughest.

If Curry and Kristaps Porzingis can remain fully healthy, the Dubs still have a chance to make the playoffs. But realistically, their playoff path doesn’t go that deep.