Ref explains controversial foul call late in Warriors’ NBA Cup loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steve Kerr went off for several minutes during his postgame press conference about the officiating in the Warriors’ NBA Cup loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
Crew chief Billy Kennedy used far fewer words, providing just one answer to Pool Reporter Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle after the game at Toyota Center.
The call in question was a foul on Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga with 3.1 seconds remaining as both teams scrambled to secure a loose ball.
FEIGEN: “Why was a loose ball foul called on a scramble situation 80 feet from the basket in the final seconds?”
KENNEDY: “The defender makes contact with the neck and shoulder area, warranting a personal foul to be called.”
The foul called on Kuminga resulted in Rockets guard Jalen Green receiving two free throws, which he made, giving Houston an eventual 91-90 win over Golden State.
Kerr didn’t hold back when talking to the media after the loss that eliminated the Warriors from the NBA Cup.
“I’ve never seen a loose-ball foul on a jump-ball situation 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line,” Kerr said. “I’ve never seen that. I think I saw it in college one time 30 years ago. Never seen it in the NBA. That is unconscionable. I don’t even understand what just happened.
“Loose ball, diving on the floor, 80 feet from the basket and you’re going to give a guy two free throws to decide the game when people are scrambling for the ball. Just give them a timeout. Give them a timeout and let the players decide the game. That’s how you officiate, especially because the game was a complete wrestling match. They didn’t call anything.
“Steph Curry got hit on the elbow, plain as day, on a jump shot. Just clubbed right on the arm – no call. You’ve established you’re just not going to call anything throughout the game. It’s a physical game. You’re going call a loose-ball foul on a jump-ball situation with guys diving on the floor with the game on the line. This is a billion-dollar industry. You’ve got people’s jobs on the line. I am stunned. I’m stunned.
“I give the Rockets credit. They battled back, they played great defense all night. But I feel for our guys. Our guys battled back, played their asses off and deserved to win that game – or at least have a chance for one stop at the end to finish the game. And that was taken from us by a call that I don’t think an elementary school referee would have made, because that guy would have had feel and said, ‘You know what, I’m not going to decide a game on a loose ball 80 feet from the basket.’ ”
The stunning loss drops the Warriors 14-10 this season. Instead of flying to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinal game, the Warriors will travel home and prepare to host old friend Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks for the second time this season.
After Wednesday’s events, it’s safe to say Kerr and Kennedy won’t be inviting each other to their respective holiday parties.
