All season long, today’s NBA stars have been fighting for respect from a national media that has found every reason to criticize them. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is trying to speak up to ensure they get the credit they deserve.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith delivered high praise for Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr on Friday’s episode of First Take, calling him one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. The remarks came one day after the Warriors extended their winning streak to four games with a 123-116 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

In Memphis, iconic sharpshooter Steph Curry dropped 52 points (with 12 3-pointers!) in a win for the Golden State Warriors. Later, the Denver Nuggets' masterful Nikola Jokic put up a 61-point triple-double — the highest-scoring triple-double in league history — in a double overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.