“Don’t Call the B—S—”: Steve Kerr Doesn’t Hold Back on Current State of Officiating

Officiating in the NBA has been a hot topic of discussion for several years. The league is still adjusting to the transition in the eras and new style of basketball played today. With frequent rule changes, the officials are constantly trying to find the right balance between letting the game flow and calling fouls. Amid the NBA’s struggles, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gave his honest opinion about the current state of officiating in the league.

The Golden State Warriors are preparing to face the Miami Heat on the road tonight. Before the game, Steve Kerr went on a rant about how the NBA can find the perfect balance in officiating today, “We should have rules that dictate freedom of movement. But our fans also like competition. And we should have rules that don’t allow, frankly B—S—. That’s the happy medium. Just don’t call the B—S—.” Kerr claimed the officials should avoid calling “stupid” fouls in the game that would go unnoticed in pick-up games. The Warriors head coach pointed out two unnecessary fouls that are frequently called by the officials.

The first foul Kerr talked about is where players come off a high screen and jump into a defender to get free throws. The league has already put an end to players kicking their legs out during jump shots to get unnecessary fouls. And they should do something about players jumping into defenders as well. Kerr also criticized the rip-through fouls where players intentionally swing their arms through the defenders’ hands to get easy free throws. However, it is easier said than done, as Steve Kerr’s own team member, Chris Paul, is infamous for using the rip-through foul to his advantage. As long as these rules exist, the players will continue to exploit them to get the upper hand in a game.

Steve Kerr also does not want to see 90s basketball today

While Steve Kerr criticized the officials for calling unnecessary fouls, he also does not want a situation where they call no fouls at all. Kerr talked about a recent game between Golden State and Indiana where players were getting hacked all night, but the officials did not call any fouls. After the game, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle told Kerr, “It’s like the 90s.” The 9-time Champion claimed this is not what he was looking for either.

Kerr wants the league to eliminate the manipulation of rules but blow the whistle when there is an actual foul. It looks like the league’s struggles to find the right balance that is the most beneficial for their product will continue for some time. If they go too easy on the calls, it can lead to escalated altercations in the game. Meanwhile, if they call too many fouls, they will get criticized by the fans for interrupting the flow of the game. What are your thoughts on the current state of officiating in the NBA?

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