Steve Kerr Refuses to Answer Important Question as Warriors Flare With Rage at Bill Kennedy

Steve Kerr couldn’t believe how the Rockets game ended—it left him more stunned than last week’s Denver fiasco. That moment, when the refs missed Christian Braun calling a timeout he didn’t have, clearly frustrated Kerr. But this? This took his disbelief to another level. You could almost feel his reaction through the screen, and honestly, who could blame him? Sometimes, it’s like the basketball gods are testing his patience.

But it’s not the Warriors‘ fault, the foul call is controversial. Even Steve Kerr could not comprehend what had happened.

Two times in a week, controversial calls make Steve Kerr furious

Talking to the press after the game he said, “I don’t, I don’t even understand what just happened. You know, loose ball diving on the floor, 80 feet from the basket and you’re gonna give got two free throws to decide the game. When people are scrambling for the ball, just give them a timeout. Give them a timeout and let the players decide the game. That’s how you officiate, especially because the game was a complete wrestling match.”

Kerr was frustrated with how no calls on Curry were given even when he was hit with an elbow. He was fuming when a reporter asked another question. He replied, “I’m not ready to answer that question. I’m pissed off. I wanted to go to Las Vegas. We wanted to win this Cup. And um, you know, We aren’t going because of a loose ball towel, 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life and uh that was ridiculous. Thank you.”

Let’s take a step back and look at what happened.

With the game on the line, Steph Curry couldn’t connect on a three-pointer that might’ve sealed it for the Warriors. Gary Payton II grabbed the rebound, but things went haywire as he struggled to find a teammate. Jalen Green sank two clutch free throws to seal the win after Jonathan Kuminga was called for a loose-ball foul by referee Bill Kennedy.

The foul happened nearly 75 feet from the basket, during what looked like a near tie-up. In the chaos, Green ended up at the free-throw line, knocking down both shots to give the Rockets the lead with just 3.1 seconds to go. Golden State had one last shot, but Brandin Podziemski’s attempt at the buzzer was blocked. Another tough pill for the Warriors to swallow—they’re now sitting at 14-10 and searching for answers.

Even former players and experts are furious, they have criticized Billy Kennedy on X.

Calls mount on X against Bill Kennedy, experts share the same feelings as Steve Kerr

Big Perk took to X, express displeasure over the call by Kennedy. “You can’t call that damn Foul Billy. WTF” tweeted Perkins. With the game hanging in the balance, calling a loose-ball foul 75 feet from the basket felt excessive. It wasn’t during a pivotal scoring opportunity or a critical defensive play, making it seem unnecessary in such a high-stakes moment. Fans expect officials to let players decide the outcome in crunch time unless the foul is clear and game-changing.

Kevin O’Connor, a basketball analyst also criticized Kennedy. “Such a horrendous foul call on the Warriors to end an awesome game. It’s a loose ball!! Of course there is contact. What the hell are you doing Bill Kennedy?” wrote O’Connor. In loose-ball situations, especially with the game on the line, a bit of contact is just part of the chaos. Everyone—analysts, fans, even the players—expects refs to let things play out unless it’s something obvious or game-changing.

Nobody wants to see a tight game decided by a whistle for something that barely affected the play. It’s just one of those moments where you can’t help but wonder, “Was that really necessary?”

“Can’t believe Bill Kennedy called that. Can’t believe GP2 didn’t call timeout. Can’t believe Steph took that shot as opposed to working the clock” wrote Vincent Goodwell, a write for Yahoo Sports.  Goodwill’s criticism of Steph Curry’s late-game shot speaks to a tactical misstep. Instead of milking the clock and forcing the Rockets into a desperate situation, Curry’s quick three-point attempt gave Houston more time to mount a comeback.

One netizen wrote “Bill Kennedy just did the Warriors so dirty”. This reaction sums up the frustration of watching a critical game swing on a controversial whistle. Fans feel robbed because the game wasn’t decided by a clutch play or defensive stop but by a referee’s judgment in a moment that arguably didn’t warrant intervention. Missing out on the NBA Cup stings.