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[Saba Sports News] On Saturday, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr subtly criticized NBA referees Derek Richardson, John Goble, and Mitchell Ervin following a narrow 145-144 double-overtime defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
With the game’s outcome influenced by LeBron James’ critical free throws in the final moments, which left Stephen Curry visibly upset, Kerr chose a more reserved approach to express his dissatisfaction.
During his postgame press conference, Kerr highlighted the disparity in free throw attempts, noting the Lakers’ 43-16 advantage but refrained from direct comments. “I might comment on the free throws they shot, but my mom is here right now, and I want to be on my best behavior. So I’m not going to comment on their 43 free throws to our 16. I’m not going to comment on Steph shooting three free throws in 43 minutes,” Kerr remarked.
This indirect criticism of the officiating contrasts with the more vocal reactions of other coaches facing the Lakers this season, who average 24.6 free throw attempts per game. The Warriors also rank in the top half of the NBA for free throw attempts, averaging 22.7 per game. Kerr’s approach was notably more restrained compared to another coach’s fiery outburst after a similar defeat to the Lakers earlier in the season.