Kerr on wild Warriors loss: ‘Mind-boggling’

MANILA, Philippines – The late-game officiating in the Golden State Warriors’  controversial 130-131 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves irked Golden State coach Steve Kerr. 

The three-time NBA champion coach believes that the referees should have counted Kevin Durant’s three-pointer that would have knotted the score at 130-all with 4.4 ticks left in overtime in the wild NBA duel on Friday, March 29 (Saturday, March 30, Philippine time). 

“Mind-boggling,” said Kerr, who thought Durant’s shot should have even been a four-point play.

“You catch the ball, you go up for a shot, you get fouled – in any league that’s a good bucket and a free throw.” 

Durant was fouled by Keita Bates-Diop as his triple dropped through the net but the referees waived the shot off contesting that the Warriors forward was fouled before he got the three-pointer off. 

Steph Curry still managed to level the score at 130-all with five-tenths of a second remaining only to witness Durant get whistled for a foul on Karl-Anthony Towns in an inbound play. 

The inbound pass to Towns, though, appeared out of reach for both players.

Towns drilled his first foul shot to give the Timberwolves the lead before intentionally missing the second to let the clock tick away. 

While not discounting the Timberwolves’ comeback effort, Kerr lamented the Warriors’ failure to close the game coupled with the officiating cost them the win. 

“I’m disappointed with the way we lost control of the game and disappointed with the officiating at the end,” he said. 

Despite the loss, the Warriors remained at the top of the Western Conference with a 51-24 record tied with the Denver Nuggets.

3) Durant fouls Karl-Anthony Towns with 0.5 seconds left.

4) Towns hits one of two free throws. Wolves win, 131-130.

(via @gifdsports)pic.twitter.com/UW30ud79pF

— Sporting News NBA (@sn_nba) March 30, 2019

– with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com