NBA Has Taken Action After Warriors Coach Steve Kerr Was Ejected
The NBA has shown what kind of penalty Steve Kerr might face after he was ejected during the Golden State Warriors’ game against the LA Clippers.
The Clippers won a close game 103-102 on Monday. Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while rookie Kobe Sanders added 20 points to help the Clippers edge out the Warriors.
Steph Curry put up 27 points but struggled with his shooting, hitting just four of 15 from three-point range and nine of 23 overall. He fouled out with 42 seconds left in the game, which was the first time that had happened since December 2021.
During the game in Inglewood, Warriors coach Kerr was ejected after arguing with the refs. In the fourth quarter, at 7:57, Kerr lost his cool when officials missed a goaltending call on a layup by Gary Payton II, blocked by Clippers forward John Collins.
Kerr got really upset on the sidelines and had to be held back by Payton and assistant coach Terry Stotts as he yelled at referee Brian Forte. This led to quick technical fouls and his ejection.
After the game, Stotts stepped in for Kerr during the media interviews, joking, “I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money. That’s the only reason I’m here.” He also hinted there were other bad calls, saying, “There were probably some other things, but that was probably the last straw.”
If past cases are anything to go by, Kerr might have to pay a big fine. For example, Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was fined $35,000 for a similar outburst last month during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Finch got angry about rough play early on when referees didn’t call fouls against the Thunder. He was given two technical fouls, ejected, and fined for using bad language and not leaving the court quickly.
So, Kerr could be facing a similar fine after his ejection at the Intuit Dome on Monday.