“Stephen Curry Got Hit”: Deprived of $8.7M Dream, Steve Kerr Demands Action Against Bill Kennedy & Co for Cancelling Vegas Flight

After fighting a war, the climax of the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets’ NBA Cup clash amounted to a disappointing affair. Fighting and falling for possession, Jalen Green emerged with the ball visibly calling for a timeout. All night long, such physicality is what added to the anticipation of the game. However, at that moment, Bill Kennedy decided there was a foul in the scuffle, giving the Rockets a chance to seal the game on free throws. It left Steve Kerr bamboozled, unable to comprehend the call.

That was how the seasoned head coach felt about the officiating all night. But while he made peace with the physical nature of the game, the sudden turn of events truly angered Kerr. His emotions leaked out during his presser.

“I don’t even understand what just happened,” said the Warriors HC. “The game was a complete wrestling match. They didn’t call anything. Steph Curry got hit on the elbow plain as day on a jump shot. Just clubbed on there. No call. So are you establishing you just aren’t going to call anything throughout the game it’s a physical game but you’re going to call a loose ball foul on a jump ball situation with guys diving on the floor with the game on the line?”.

Given the implications, for those not making Stephen Curry money, qualification meant a $50,000 difference. Moreover, just a day ago, Kerr raved about having packed for Las Vegas. While that didn’t mean much, the revered coach was baffled by the state of officiating. Having seen the effort from his players, Steve Kerr felt they “deserved” a chance to fight.

But “that was taken from us that I don’t think an elementary school referee would make because that guy would have had feel,” he said further scrutinizing the events. Understandably, with a chance to win $8.7 million as a squad, Kerr’s anger in support of his players seems well justified. Nevertheless, what truly unfolded paved the way for an all time classic that will be raved by fans for years to come.

The Warriors and the Rockets put up another classic

After the Warriors’ landslide win in their first clash, the two sides have delivered back-to-back classics for the fans to enjoy. Once again, it was a game where defense prevailed for both sides. In an era where 100 points is the norm, in the last two games, neither the Bay nor the Rockets have surpassed that mark.

Furthermore, with a spot in the semifinals and a ticket to Las Vegas on the line, the intensity saw a sharp surge in the last five minutes. Both the teams combined to score just 16 points in the clutch, with the final free throws from Green being the difference maker in the time period.

The Warriors, who trailed by 14 at the apex recovered their offense in the second half. Hitting 50% of their threes, they even managed to take a comfortable lead. But once again, an influx of turnovers cost the Stephen Curry-led side the game. The Rockets outscored the Warriors by 12 points in points from turnovers, culminating in 30 points from the 15 times they forced errors.

Additionally, they also held an 18-point advantage in the paint. That can almost directly be linked to Alperen Sengun. The rising star was the main attraction, producing 26 points and 11 rebounds in the nail-biting win. Sophomore forward Amen Thompson also played an integral role with his efficient offense and hellish defense, generating a steal and two blocks for the game.

The Warriors had a disastrous start to the game. However, the likes of Buddy Hield and Lindy Waters III provided the three-point damage to overthrow the double-digit deficit and take advantage in the game. Sadly, when needed, the Bay couldn’t maintain their hot offense. Nonetheless, it was a war that fans will remember till the fever of the NBA Cup remains. The only drawback is the lackluster end which led to great frustration.