Curry, Warriors sound off on Steve Kerr ejection: ‘Coach did the right thing’

INGLEWOOD – Warriors assistant coach Terry Stotts marched up to the postgame podium at Intuit Dome, faced a room packed with reporters and various media, and gave an unprompted opening statement on Monday night. 

“I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money,” Stotts, who coached Portland from 2012-21, said. “That’s the only reason I’m here.”

The implication being that Kerr, the longtime head coach who was ejected with 7:57 left in Monday’s 103-102 loss to the Clippers, would have given statements that would have resulted in a fine from the NBA. 

The officials drew Kerr’s ire – and led to his first ejection since Mar. 28, 2022 – when they called what appeared to be a clear John Collins goaltend on Gary Payton II’s layup was left a no-call. 

“A missed call, clearly, but it is what it is,” Payton II said. 

That had occurred just a few moments after what could have been a continuation jumper by Curry was called a foul on the floor. 

The future Hall of Fame coach went ballistic at head referee Brian Forte’s crew, earning him two technical fouls as he was restrained by assistant coaches. 

Kerr eventually made the walk across the court and into the locker room while Stotts took over. Curry appreciated his coach’s fire. 

“Coach did the right thing, and we responded the right way, and gave ourselves a chance to win. But on the road, that’s a tough, tough moment,” Curry said, later adding. ”Watching coach go crazy, I was appreciative of that because two crazy calls in a row that you feel like can dictate the momentum of the game.”

Forte later told pool reporter Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints that Payton II’s layup “should have been ruled a goaltending violation,” but believed that Kerr’s ejection was also warranted.

“For the first technical foul, Coach Kerr aggressively approached the official while shouting profanities,” Forte said. “After the first technical was called, he continued shouting profanities while being held back by his assistant coach. And led to the second technical foul.”

Curry said he was ready to blow up at the officials, and Kerr’s theatrics saved him from a possible technical foul or ejection. 

Kerr’s anger did not stun Draymond Green, who did not have to go far back to remember the last time his coach’s temper had boiled over like that. 

“When he was ready to kill me there in the huddle,” Green said, before giving his two cents on what went down in Inglewood. “I think it was the right reaction.”

Payton believed the ejection fired up the team, and helped the Warriors outscore the Clippers 38-27. 

But the Warriors were unable to also overcome Curry piling up four fourth quarter fouls, which led to his first foul out since 2021. 

Up until that point, Stotts had leaned on his veterans to lead the team through the tumultuous quarter. 

“(I was) just trying to coach the game, and it helps we’ve got a veteran team, and they know what they’re doing out there,” Stotts said. “Steph, before he fouled out, really got us going.”

Curry vowed to not foul out again in his career. When asked whether or not he held Kerr’s blowup against the coach, Curry made his thoughts clear. 

“I love that fired up Steve,” Curry said. “Somebody had to do it tonight.”