SACRAMENTO KINGS
Two-Minute Report States That Kevin Huerter Was Fouled By Klay Thompson
If the NBA establishes a ‘Two Minute Report Award’ at the end of the season, the Sacramento Kings would be the front-runner for the honor.
According to the league’s assessment of Monday night’s officiating during the final minutes of Sacramento’s game against the Golden State Warriors, guard Kevin Huerter was fouled by Klay Thompson during a game-tying three-point field goal attempt as time expired.
No call was made by the officials as Golden State secured a 116-113 win to snap a five-game losing streak.
The report also confirms that Warriors guard Steph Curry traveled with 16.6 seconds remaining, which also went uncalled by officiating.
Looks like Klay fouled Huerter to uspic.twitter.com/xoCveFKr8i
— Sactown Sports 1140 (@Sactown1140) November 8, 2022
With 1.3 seconds remaining, De’Aaron Fox found Huerter off of a curl on the inbound and the guard let his game-tying attempt fly as the buzzer sounded. Thompson made contact with Huerter–twice–during the shot attempt, but the officials did not blow their whistles as the game clock struck zero.
Just like we saw during last week’s game in Miami, Sacramento had another game slip through its fingers during the final possession on a play that came down to a missed call. Heat guard Tyler Herro got away with a traveling violation as he sank a game-winning triple that handed the Kings its first loss of the road trip, and now the second defeat comes on a missed foul call that could have sent this contest into overtime.
Kings head coach Mike Brown did not hold back on the officiating during his postgame comments as it’s clear that he and his team are fed up with having the end result of games being taken out of their control.
“I tell you, man, I feel bad for our guys. It’s tough being a Sacramento King I think because Kevin (Huerter) got fouled. I just want to—you know, I know there are missed calls throughout the course of the game, missed calls on us, missed calls on our opponent. I just want at the end of the game somebody to step up and make the right call,” Brown said following Monday’s loss.
“A guy gets hit on the arm shooting a three that’s a foul, a guy takes six steps, or three, four steps, that’s a travel. We just want an opportunity to win in overtime. But just like in the Miami game, I asked the ref if it was a foul, and he said no. It was clearly a foul. To have two games like that on the road where the whistle is swallowed and then there’s a missed call, that’s tough man, that’s tough for my guys in the locker room because they’re fighting their behinds off.”
Sacramento’s players voiced their frustrations as well following the loss, with Fox, Huerter, and Malik Monk all sharing similar sentiments regarding the ordeal:
Only thing we can do at this point is get fined. Zero accountability
— Kevin Huerter (@KevinHuerter) November 8, 2022
LMFAO https://t.co/UcCCzentwk
— De'Aaron Fox (@swipathefox) November 8, 2022
😂😂😂😂😂
— Malik Monk (@AhmadMonk) November 8, 2022
The fact that Sacramento has endured two losses that have come down to blown officiating is a tough pill to swallow, especially when you look at the fact that they now sit at 3-6 on the season with some tough games on the horizon in the week ahead.
Each game is crucial for a Kings team that is hoping to battle for a postseason spot, and two games could prove to be the difference in a Western Conference play-in race. Even if it’s November, these early-season games matter–and Sacramento is fed up with the way that these late-game situations are being officiated.
Sacramento and Golden State won’t have to wait long for a rematch as the teams will face off on Sunday night at Golden 1 Center.
