Feb 13, 2019; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts to the referee after a play with Portland Trail Blazers and gets ejected from the game in the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was fined $25,000 on Thursday for “verbally abusing and confronting a game official,” the NBA announced.
Kerr’s actions came in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s 129-107 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers. Upon hearing that Draymond Green’s common foul was being upgraded to a flagrant foul 1, Kerr slammed the scorers’ table to earn his first technical, then swung his right arm in the air while approaching official Ken Mauer on the court. He was tagged with a quick second technical and ejection.
Kevin Durant held back an incensed Kerr after he was ejected.
“I was just shocked that it was called a flagrant foul,” Kerr said after the game. “That was head-scratching that could be called a flagrant foul. I mean, the guy’s going to go up for a dunk, you got to make sure he doesn’t dunk it. So I told Kenny I beg to differ.”
Green also was issued a technical foul during the incident.
On the original call on the floor, Green fouled the Blazers’ Zach Collins at the rim. As for the uproar afterward, Green said he appreciated his coach’s support.
“That was amazing; it’s great,” Green said. “He set the tone for us to close the game the way we did. It was good. I got a tech also for standing there. That probably should be a delay of game, not a tech. You can’t give somebody a tech because they’re standing there. That’s a delay of game. But whatever.”
Kerr’s punishment was announced by Kiki VanDeWeghe, the NBA’s executive vice president, basketball operations.
—Field Level Media