The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves played an overtime thriller Friday night in Minnesota, but the defending champions were left fuming by controversial calls in the final seconds.
With the Warriors down 130-127 with 5.8 seconds remaining, Kevin Durant made a 3-pointer to tie the game as a whistle was blown. Officials ruled that Keita Bates-Diop fouled Durant prior to the shot attempt, taking away the opportunity for a go-ahead 4-point play.
The call came just seconds after an eerily similar decision on the other end of the court, where Josh Okogie did not go to the line despite being fouled as he shot.
Regardless, the Warriors were furious, but still found a way to tie the game. Stephen Curry hit an absurd shot from the corner with a defender in his face, and celebrated by pointing at an official as he ran by.
Curry approached an official again before play resumed, but was dragged away by teammate DeMarcus Cousins.
Moments later, Durant was whistled for holding Karl-Anthony Towns on a lob play, and Towns made one of his two shots at the line to give the Timberwolves the win.
It's easy to take either side of this call. Durant's hands were clearly locked onto Towns' torso, but the pass was far too high for Towns to have a chance to catch it. The Warriors couldn't believe the whistle, and Curry began walking toward the tunnel with a towel over his head with time still on the clock before stopping himself.
After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the situation was "mind-boggling," and Curry called referee Marat Kogut the "MVP of tonight."
Durant called Kogut "one of the greatest refs of all time."
"He had two hands on me as I was going into my shot, and Marat, he was the best player on the floor tonight. He made sure that … he's so good with his whistle, he knew they were going to foul me and he called it right before I shot the ball. He's one of the greatest refs of all time."
With the Warriors down 130-127 with 5.8 seconds remaining, Kevin Durant made a 3-pointer to tie the game as a whistle was blown. Officials ruled that Keita Bates-Diop fouled Durant prior to the shot attempt, taking away the opportunity for a go-ahead 4-point play.
The call came just seconds after an eerily similar decision on the other end of the court, where Josh Okogie did not go to the line despite being fouled as he shot.
Regardless, the Warriors were furious, but still found a way to tie the game. Stephen Curry hit an absurd shot from the corner with a defender in his face, and celebrated by pointing at an official as he ran by.
Curry approached an official again before play resumed, but was dragged away by teammate DeMarcus Cousins.
Moments later, Durant was whistled for holding Karl-Anthony Towns on a lob play, and Towns made one of his two shots at the line to give the Timberwolves the win.
It's easy to take either side of this call. Durant's hands were clearly locked onto Towns' torso, but the pass was far too high for Towns to have a chance to catch it. The Warriors couldn't believe the whistle, and Curry began walking toward the tunnel with a towel over his head with time still on the clock before stopping himself.
After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the situation was "mind-boggling," and Curry called referee Marat Kogut the "MVP of tonight."
Durant called Kogut "one of the greatest refs of all time."
"He had two hands on me as I was going into my shot, and Marat, he was the best player on the floor tonight. He made sure that … he's so good with his whistle, he knew they were going to foul me and he called it right before I shot the ball. He's one of the greatest refs of all time."
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