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Steph and Kerr discuss the Warriors’ double-OT loss and the free-throw differenceKerrSteph and Kerr discuss the Warriors’ double-OT loss and the free-throw difference
Kerr and Steph Discuss Discrepancy in Free Throws During Warriors’ Double-OT Defeat
The fact that the Warriors only had 16 free-throw attempts in their heartbreaking 145-144 double-overtime defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center isn’t surprising. Going into Saturday’s game, they ranked 21st in the NBA for free-throw attempts this season, with 962.
What raised eyebrows, however, was the considerable contrast as the Lakers were granted a remarkable 43 trips to the charity stripe.
In the Warriors’ 11-of-16 performance from the free-throw line, the Lakers, who ranked seventh in the NBA for free throws attempted (1,111) before the game, impressively made 38 of their 43 attempts.
Following the defeat, Warriors coach Steve Kerr offered a measured explanation for not addressing the substantial free-throw imbalance with the referees. Kerr stated, “I might have thoughts on the free throws they took, but my mom is currently here, and I want to maintain good behavior. So, I won’t comment on the 43 free throws compared to our 16. I won’t comment on Steph [Curry] getting three free throws in 43 minutes. That’s something I’ll refrain from commenting on.”
Curry, who successfully converted all three of his free-throw attempts, didn’t mince words when addressing the final statistics.
“We’ve had this discussion, especially when facing them,” Curry told reporters. “They’re adept at drawing fouls. Last year, they had some extremely lopsided free-throw situations. Tonight is another instance where the inconsistency is frustrating. You aim for a situation where the outcome is determined by the players, and it’s either the players shaping the game or there’s consistency in the calls on both ends.”
“So, not to suggest that we don’t shoot a lot of three-pointers. I understand there’s a different playing style, but there were about three plays I was part of where the calls were clearly wrong, leading to unnecessary free throw attempts. On the flip side, there were instances of contact or plays where the officials overlooked things for some reason.
“In a single game, when there’s inconsistency on both ends, that’s the most frustrating part. It doesn’t mean we expect to go to the free-throw line 58 times. It just means there’s a certain tone to the game, a flow that we can adapt to and adjust, and that wasn’t the case tonight. So, it’s a tough situation.”
With this defeat, the Warriors’ season record falls to 19-24, and their upcoming schedule poses no respite as they face the 29-15 Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
Despite the notable free-throw imbalance on Saturday night, the Warriors had numerous chances to secure the victory. However, they once again allowed a winnable game to elude their grasp.
