Steve Kerr voiced strong frustration after the Golden State Warriors one-point loss to the Suns, disagreeing with the late foul call that decided the game.
Golden State Warriors walked off the floor Thursday night frustrated, and head coach Steve Kerr made sure everyone knew why. After a 99-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns, Kerr focused less on the box score and more on the final whistle that decided the game.
With 0.4 seconds left, Suns guard Jordan Goodwin went to the free-throw line after Moses Moody was called for a foul on an offensive rebound. Goodwin split the free throws, giving Phoenix the one-point win and leaving Golden State without a chance to respond.
Kerr strongly disagreed with the decision in his postgame press conference, making it clear he felt the call should not have decided the outcome of such a close game.
"Tonight, we executed really well. It's hard to believe that the game was decided on that call. An airball that hits the side of the backboard — guys behind the bench told me that Moses (Moody) got all ball. Everybody is tangled up," Kerr said.
"To me, it better be a foul to decide the game on a foul like that. Disappointing that we didn't get to go to overtime because I thought our guys executed and did a great job in the last few minutes, giving ourselves a chance."
The Warriors once again struggled with turnovers and shooting, giving the ball away 20 times and hitting just 39.3 percent from the field. From the three-point range, they shot 28.6 percent, which allowed the Suns to stay within reach all night.
Still, Golden State put itself in a position to win. The Warriors led by as many as 14 points early in the third quarter before their offense went cold. They failed to score for nearly five minutes late in the third and into the fourth, opening the door for Phoenix to climb back.
The final minute was packed with drama. Dillon Brooks was called for a Flagrant 1 foul after making contact with Stephen Curry on a three-point attempt. Curry knocked down both free throws, then Jimmy Butler drilled a three to tie the game. Devin Booker answered with a mid-range jumper, and Curry later tied the score again from the free-throw line.
Golden State forced a tough final shot on the last possession, but the rebound and foul changed everything. Instead of overtime, the Warriors left Phoenix with another close loss.
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