Steve Kerr's lineup quote proves exact root of Golden State Warriors issues

For not the first time this season, Steve Kerr made a significant adjustment to his starting lineup ahead of the Golden State Warriors' meeting with the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on Tuesday.

With Kerr noting the need for extra spacing, Klay Thompson was back into the starting five for Brandin Podziemski, having lost his spot to the rookie guard just ahead of the All-Star break.

Steve Kerr's indecision on the Golden State Warriors' starting lineup proves the exact root of the team's complicated issues

Thompson's reintroduction proved successful with the 34-year-old dropping a game-high 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting, pushing the Warriors to a desperately needed 113-92 win after six losses in their past nine games.

Kerr was asked about the lineup change post-game, suggesting the move is far from a medium to long-term plan while hinting that it could be more about individual matchups in any given game.

"Just felt like we had a little more spacing on the floor to start the game. It doesn't necessarily mean it's permanent, it just felt like tonight that was important."

- Steve Kerr

Kerr should gain some credit for his willingness to change the lineup at different points this season, yet that also proves the Warriors' biggest issue -- this roster is flawed and can subsequently run into significant issues that only a lineup change will address.

It almost feels like Kerr is trying to patch over a number of holes in a bucket. Once you patch up one the water (issue) starts flowing elsewhere. You fix that and it happens somewhere else. Ultimately, Kerr and the Warriors don't have a solution to turning the tap off which would alleviate all the issues.

The best teams can address their issues without the need for a lineup change. They know who they are. The starting lineups of the top three teams in the Western Conference (Denver, OKC, Minnesota) each rank in the top five most used lineups in the league this season. Golden State's most used lineup -- Curry, Podziemski, Wiggins, Kuminga and Green -- ranks 27th for minutes played across the league.

That isn't the recipe for championship success because it proves you don't have something that categorically works. Even the Rockets -- who have the third most used lineup in the league -- have found something that works relative to their performance in previous seasons.

That should be the number one focus for the Warriors heading into next season. Find the best five quickly before the season becomes plagued by inconsistency. Failing that and you get to this point -- game 71 of the season where you're once again forced into a change.