CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr, is advocating for NBA officials to be more vigilant in calling traveling violations on the court. Kerr found himself on the receiving end of a technical foul during the third quarter of the Warriors’ recent 119-101 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. The incident occurred when Kerr vehemently objected to what he believed was a blatant travel that went uncalled. Kerr’s frustration peaked as he gestured towards the spectators in the stands, some of whom were also vocal in their demand for a traveling violation to be whistled.
Expressing his concern, Kerr remarked, “I fail to comprehend why our officials are not being instructed to identify travels in this league. While they undoubtedly put in tremendous effort and exhibit effective communication, I observe five or six instances of traveling per game that go unnoticed.” Kerr did not exempt his own team from scrutiny, acknowledging that even the Warriors were guilty of making traveling infractions during their previous defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers, with none being penalized by the officials.
Kerr emphasized the pervasiveness of the issue, citing instances where both spectators and coaches on the sidelines, including himself, were signaling for traveling violations during game replays. He emphasized, “It is evident when even a limited crowd can discern the infractions, yet the league is failing to equip our officials to scrutinize players’ footwork adequately.”
This is not the first instance of Kerr, a former NBA player himself, calling out the inconsistency in enforcement of traveling rules by officials. He disclosed that he has conveyed his concerns to the league, advocating for necessary changes “in the best interest of the sport.” “The fundamental essence of the game hinges on footwork,” Kerr asserted. “It is imperative that we reinforce the adherence to traveling rules for the betterment of the game. We owe it to the fans and the integrity of basketball to rectify this issue.”
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