With 2:28 to go in the third quarter on Monday night, Klay Thompson hit a 3-pointer to give him 60 points on the night.
With 1:22 remaining in the frame, JaVale McGee entered the game for Thompson -- who did not return to action.
"Blame the coach," Steve Kerr said on Tuesday. "Klay knows -- you're up 35, 40 points, the right thing to do is take him out. The last thing you want is to roll an ankle.
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE [RELATED: Mychal Thompson's message to Klay: 'You should have had 70']
"And you don't want to rub it in to your opponent either. We had the game in hand. The game called for him to come out. The minute you start chasing stats for stats stake, you're setting a bad precedent I think."
Could Klay have reached 80 points, or perhaps eclipsed Kobe Bryant's mark of 81?
"I guess he could if it was a close game," Kerr said. "Another 12 minutes, who knows? I'm holding him back.
Golden State Warriors
Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
"Like they said, Dean Smith was the only guy who could hold MJ (Michael Jordan) under 20, I'm the only guy who can hold Klay under 80 I guess."