Warriors' Steve Kerr: 'We Complain An Awful Lot' About Foul Calls
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Complaining to referees about a call has joined 3-pointers, jump shots, rebounds and assists as common occurrences during NBA regular or post-season game.
The Golden State Warriors are among the poster children as the league's worse offenders. It seems they have something to say about nearly every foul call.
Both Kevin Durant and Draymond Green have picked up several technical fouls for complaining too loudly or demonstratively during the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs.
"Yes," said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr when asked if there is too whining about calls. "Our guys and me, too. We complain an awful lot. There's a lot at stake and Draymond's already got three technicals. I think Kevin has a couple. So we got to find a way to compete and walk that line without crossing the line. And being too demonstrative and too emotional on the sidelines and on the court."
Asked if he thought the levels of complaining is higher than in the past, Kerr said there is more exposure to the game so it's more noticeable.
"I'm not sure it is worse -- it's always been -- I just think there is more exposure," he said. "There's more media outlets. There's more technology -- every single play, there are many different (camera) angles. Those angles immediately are put on social media. The fire burns a lot quicker. The brushfire (of complaining) starts and it's out of control and here we are today the whole story is about missed calls."
Kerr said the levels of complaining makes him wonder why anyone would want to be a referee.
"I don't know why anyone would want to be a ref," he said. "They kind of know what they are getting into when they are training to be refs. All you have to do is watch a game and how intense and competitive NBA playoff games are and so those guys (the refereeing crew) are going to be under the microscope. We got (2-minute) reviews and social media everything else. They are on the spot."
"There is so much gray area in these games -- They are going miss some (calls) for both teams. They are going to get some right for both teams. They are going to do their best."
The level of complaining could reach new heights in Tuesday night's Game Two because Scott Foster will be on the officiating crew. Both teams have complained about Foster's calls during regular season games. It will be his first Rockets game since a February contest where Harden was highly critical of him.
In that game, according to ESPN Stats and Information, Houston did not shoot a free throw in the final 20 minutes of a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.