You hate to see it (sarcasm detector). After years of being the beneficiaries of some of the single most egregious calls in officiating history (Kevin Durant six miles out of bounds, anyone?), the [Golden State Warriors](https://www.goldenstateofmind.com) finally found themselves on the other end of controversy.
Jalen Green was fouled by Jonathan Kuminga on a loose ball with 3.5 seconds left and the Rockets down one. He then proceeded to hit the two free throws to put Houston up one. Jabari Smith Jr. then blocked a Brandin Podziemski shot as time expired to ice the game for the Rockets, breaking a 15-game skid against the Warriors and their first win against Golden State Since 2020 with a 91-90 victory.
After the game, both Steve Kerr and Steph Curry cried beatuful, amazing, delicious, salty tears. [Kerr had this to say](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/42925566/steve-kerr-furious-late-call-warriors-fall-nba-cup):
> “I’m pissed off. I wanted to go to Las Vegas. We wanted to win this Cup, and we aren’t going because of a loose ball foul, 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life, and that was ridiculous.
>
> “I’ve never seen a loose ball foul on a jump ball situation, 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line. I’ve never seen that. I think I saw it in college one time 30 years ago. Never seen it in the NBA. That is, I mean, unconscionable. I don’t even understand what just happened. Loose ball, diving on the floor, 80 feet from the basket, and you’re going to give a guy two free throws to decide the game when people are scrambling for the ball. Just 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. They didn’t call anything.
>
> “So you’ve established you’re just not going to call anything throughout the game. It’s a physical game. And call a loose ball foul on a jump ball situation with guys diving on the floor? With the game on the line? This is a billion-dollar industry. You got people’s jobs on the line.”
NBA Crew Chief Bill Kennedy gave this as his explanation, and its seems spot on to me. A call is a correct call no matter what time of game it occurs:
> “The defender makes contact with the neck and shoulder area, warranting a personal foul to be called.”
Meanwhile, Curry thought he was fouled by Aaron Holiday with 11 seconds left and did his fair share of complaining about the end of the game as well:
> “I haven’t seen the replay, but ... if you’re telling me it was a clear foul, I’ll shut up, but I don’t think that’s the case. Was it? There’s indecision in the group, so that means then let the game play out and let us decide it and not two free throws, 90 feet from the basket.
>
> “We can talk about the refs all day, it’s not why we lost. But there are swings in the game, obviously the last two free throws and that play, it’s a five-point swing.”
While the Dubs were moaning, the Rockets were celebrating the win in front of a national TV audience and a packed Toyota Center. They had just held Golden State to 44 percent shooting, a low 12-for-38 from three and forced 15 turnovers.
Alperen Sengun led the way for the Rockets with 26 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Jabari Smith Jr. added 15 and Jalen Green added 12. Amen Thompson had a full stat line off the bench with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks as these two teams played a 90s style hardnosed contest.
The Warriors were led by Kuminga’s 20 points, Curry’s 19 and Buddy Hield’s 15 points, though that group were just 8-for-24 combined by three.
The Rockets now move to Las Vegas to play the NBA Cup Semifinal game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
As for the Warriors, well, after years and years of generous calls, including utilizing an illegal play (the moving screen) as the very basis of their offense along with numerous other officiating gifts, particularly against the Rockets (a certain playoff game comes to mind), let’s just say that’s some karma.
Because it may not come today, and it may not come tomorrow, but karma always comes. And it’s always, always a bitch.