Getty Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors argues with a referee.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry already voiced their frustration about a missed call on Aaron Gordon’s goaltending early in the fourth quarter.
It turned out Gordon escaped with another one inside the final minute of their 108-105 loss to defending champion Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, November 8.
The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report determined that the game officials missed Gordon’s out-of-bounds violation after intercepting Aaron Wiggins’ pass in the final 53 seconds.
“Gordon (DEN) pivots off of his foot and steps out of bounds while still in possession of the ball,” the report said.
@TheWarriorsTalk Ain’t no way Gordon’s heel didn’t go out of bounds before tossing it to KCP
The costly blunder led to a four-point swing in a three-point loss.
Gordon’s interception, which should have been a violation, led to two Kentavious Caldwell-Pope free throws that padded the Nuggets lead to 107-102 with 52 seconds left. Had the refs not missed the call, the possession would have been awarded to the Warriors with a chance to cut the deficit to one or tie it with a 3-pointer.
Curry hit his sixth and final 3-pointer with 18 seconds left that cut the Nuggets lead to two, 107-105. An exhausted Nikola Jokic missed two free throws in the Nuggets’ next possession, opening a Warriors comeback. But Curry missed a floater that could have tied the game in the final seven seconds that sealed their fate.
Though frustrated with the missed calls, the Warriors remained upbeat as they pushed the defending champion to their limit without Draymond Green (personal reasons) and Gary Payton II (illness).
“It was a hell of a fight. Our guys really competed and gave themselves a chance to win,” Kerr told reporters after the game. “Tough, tough way to finish but couldn’t be more proud of them and more excited about our team.”
The Nuggets, however, were also without Jamal Murray (hamstring).
Curry, Kerr Frustrated With Non-Call
Both Curry and Kerr were livid when the referees did not call a goaltending violation on Gordon’s block in the early moments of the fourth quarter, which came back to haunt them in the end.
“It was definitely goaltending,” Curry told reporters after the loss. “They missed it. Keep playing.”
The play happened with 8:31 left in the fourth quarter and the Warriors trailing by only two points. Curry went for the tie via the back door cut off a perfect Chris Paul bounce pass.
Gordon telegraphed the play but the ball already kissed the backboard when he blocked it prompting Kerr to animatedly argue with the refs.
Steph and Kerr were livid after goaltending was not called here
“The non-goaltend call, it hurts, but I’m used to it,” Kerr told reporters after the game. “It’s a difficult call to make. It happens, bang bang. It seems like last year four or five of those, it’s going to happen this year too. It’s part of it, plenty of calls both ways. That’s the way it goes.”
Kerr to Resign as Team USA Coach After Paris Olympics
Kerr looks at next summer’s Paris Olympics as his “Last Dance” more than a redemption tour after failing to pilot Team USA to the gold medal in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
“To me, it’s a two-year; it’s a cycle,” Kerr told The Athletic about his decision. “[Gregg Popovich] coached a World Cup and the Olympics, now it’s my turn to pass the baton. I think that’s kind of how it should be.”
“Frankly, it’s a huge commitment too. I guess I think it was different the last go-around with Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) and Jerry (Colangelo) when they were really establishing this culture and this system where guys had to commit for a couple of years. Made sense for Coach K to stay on. But I think where we are now, one cycle and you move on.”