NEW YORK — The NBA has announced that referees made the right call in assessing a foul against the Golden State Warriors during the closing seconds of their narrow loss to the Houston Rockets in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Warriors coach Steve Kerr, however, expressed strong disapproval of the decision, labeling it as “unconscionable.”

The pivotal foul was called on Jonathan Kuminga with just 3.5 seconds left on the clock. This pivotal moment led to Jalen Green being awarded two free throws, which he successfully converted, sealing the Rockets’ 91-90 win on Wednesday night.

Kerr voiced his frustration after the game, arguing that the foul—called at a moment when players were scrambling for the ball on the floor—was one a referee at the elementary school level would not have made. He stated, “Our guys fought hard, played their (expletives) off, and deserved either a win or at least an opportunity for a stop at the end of the game.” He added that the decision felt especially unjust because the game should not be determined by a foul on a loose ball so far from the basket.

Despite Kerr’s assertions, the NBA reviewed the situation and confirmed on Thursday that the foul was indeed correctly called. They concluded that Kuminga had reached over Green in his effort to secure the ball, consequently pulling down Green’s shoulder in the process.

This tension-filled moment sparked heated discussions about the influence of officiating on the game, particularly at such critical junctures.