Warriors coach Steve Kerr was anything but pleased with the officiating during Golden State’s 120-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday afternoon.
The Warriors were whistled for 23 fouls as a team. Denver star Nikola Jokic drew 12 of those fouls, matching a career high with 18 trips to the free-throw line. He didn’t miss a single foul shot.
It wasn’t necessarily the calls themselves that Kerr took issue with, but rather the ways in which players are starting to cater their game to the whistle and the whistle only. He noted that referees are getting forced into making calls as the league continues to evolve.
“I have a problem with how we are legislating the defense out of the game,” Kerr said. “We are enabling players to B.S. their way to the foul line. If I were a fan, I wouldn’t have wanted to watch the second half of that game. It was disgusting. It was just baiting refs into calls, but the refs have to make those calls. …
“The players are really smart in this league. For the last decade, they’ve gotten smarter and smarter. We have enabled the players, and they are taking full advantage.
“It’s a parade to the free-throw line, and it’s disgusting to watch.”
Golden State guard Stephen Curry believes that those who tend to sell calls are the ones most often getting them.
“It does cater to the guys who can sell calls,” Curry said. “There is physicality. But it’s tough because it is inconsistent, at times, on either side. On a night like (Monday), when you feel there is physicality on one side and then ticky-tack on the other, it changes the complexity of the game.”
But the Nuggets, specifically guard Jamal Murray, have no problem with a little bit of theatrics. As long as a player doesn’t flop, he is worthy of getting a whistle, Murray said, according to ESPN.
Jokic insisted he wasn’t trying to bait officials on Monday, he was just trying to make up for a lackluster night from the floor. The two-time MVP made 4 of 12 shots overall while missing both of his attempts from 3-point range on the way to 26 points.
Jokic also had 14 rebounds and eight assists.
“I was missing shots, so I was just trying to be aggressive in another way, maybe play a little more physical” Jokic said. “It just happened to be that kind of night. This is the most I’ve ever had.”
–Field Level Media