Steve Kerr Fumes Over Controversial Call in Warriors’ Crushing Loss to Rockets
The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report has spoken, and it’s not the news Golden State Warriors fans—or head coach Steve Kerr—wanted to hear. The league confirmed that the officials made the correct call when Jonathan Kuminga was assessed a personal foul on Jalen Green during a loose ball scramble. That call sent Green to the free-throw line, where he sank the game-winning shots in the Houston Rockets‘ nail-biting 91-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.
For Warriors fans, it was a gut-wrenching moment. For Steve Kerr, it was an “unconscionable” decision that left him seething. The Warriors head coach didn’t hold back in his postgame comments, calling out the officiating crew, led by Bill Kennedy, for what he described as a baffling and unprecedented call. “I’m pissed off,” Kerr said bluntly. “I wanted to go to Las Vegas. We wanted to win this Cup, and we aren’t going because of a loose ball foul, 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life, and that was ridiculous.”
How It All Went Down
The drama unfolded in the final seconds of the game. With 3.5 seconds left, Stephen Curry missed a three-point attempt, sparking a chaotic scramble for the loose ball. Gary Payton II managed to gain possession on the floor as Fred VanVleet dove for it as well. Payton then attempted to pass the ball to Kuminga, but Green dove in, leading to the controversial foul call. According to the NBA, Kuminga “reaches over Green in an attempt to get to the ball and pulls his shoulder down.”
Meanwhile, the league also reviewed the contact between Payton and VanVleet, determining it was a correct non-call as both players made “incidental contact with each other in pursuit of the loose ball.”
Kerr’s Frustration Boils Over
Kerr’s frustration wasn’t just about the call itself—it was about the context. “I’ve never seen a loose ball foul on a jump ball situation, 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line,” he said. “I think I saw it in college one time 30 years ago. Never seen it in the NBA. That is … unconscionable.”
He continued, “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 and let the players decide the game. That’s how you officiate.”
Kerr also pointed out the inconsistency in officiating throughout the game. “The game was a complete wrestling match. They didn’t call anything. So you’ve established you’re just not going to call anything throughout the game. It’s a physical game. And [then] 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 got people’s jobs on the line.”
Déjà Vu for the Warriors
Unfortunately for the Warriors, this isn’t the first time in recent days that a late-game call has left them reeling. Just eight days earlier, in a 119-115 loss to the Denver Nuggets, Kerr argued that Denver’s Christian Braun signaled for a timeout after securing a loose ball while Denver had no timeouts left. The officials, however, said they did not see Braun clearly signal for a timeout, which would have resulted in a technical foul and possession for the Warriors with 1.9 seconds left. Instead, they called for a jump ball.
After the loss to Houston, Kerr was still in disbelief. “I am stunned,” he said. “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.”
He didn’t mince words about the officiating, either. “That was taken from us by a call that I don’t think an elementary school referee would’ve made because that guy would’ve had feel and said, you know what? I’m not going to decide a game on a loose ball, 80 feet from the basket.”
What’s Next?
With the win, the Rockets punched their ticket to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals, where they’ll face Oklahoma City on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Warriors are left to pick up the pieces after another frustrating loss. For Kerr and his squad, the focus will now shift to regrouping and finding a way to bounce back from these tough breaks.
- Key Takeaways:
- The NBA confirmed the foul call on Kuminga was correct.
- Steve Kerr called the decision “unconscionable” and unprecedented in his NBA career.
- The Rockets advance to the NBA Cup semifinals, while the Warriors are eliminated.
As the NBA season rolls on, one thing is clear: the Warriors will be looking for redemption, and Kerr will be hoping for a little more consistency from the officials.
Originally Written by: Kendra Andrews
