SAN FRANCISCO — Assuming referees have it out for your favorite team is a quintessential part of the irrational fan’s experience. Ultimately, all those questionable calls even out.
But Warriors fans up in arms about what feels like an unfair whistle might have a point this year.
The Warriors’ 19.87 free throw attempts per game are the fewest by any team in the NBA after 40 games.
And if it feels like Golden State isn’t getting many calls in their favor, you aren’t going crazy. Opponents average 18.5 personal fouls per game against them, second fewest to Kevin Durant’s Brooklyn Nets, who get 18.18 calls per game on average per game.
The discrepancy widens given the Warriors’ foul troubles. They average 22 fouls per game, which is the third most following the Detroit Pistons (22.3) and Minnesota Timberwolves (22.1).
All told, the Warriors boast the league’s widest gap between fouls called for and against them. Not only are they rarely at the free throw line, they’re practically handing out free passes to the charity stripe to other teams.
Extra policing on carrying and travel calls also have many Warriors players flustered. There’s little consistency in how and when they’re called, they say. So they’re not at all shocked that they’ve gotten an uneven whistle this year.
“Not surprising,” Draymond Green said. “It feels that way when you’re playing, it’s not quite as far as the foul count or free throw count. But we have to take some responsibility.”
They’ll take responsibility for the incessant fouls. Some of the younger players – James Wiseman, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga among them – are getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar as they learn to acclimate to NBA-level defense. There’s a learning curve across the board as this team with multiple generations learns to play together. Rookie mistakes are a drawback to the Warriors’ ambitious two timeline plan.
“I think we take responsibility in the way we’re defending,” Green said. “There are times we can get a little handsy. Not using our hands as much. We have to take some responsibility in it.
“At the same time, it’s a little alarming.”
Andre Iguodala was a little more up front. When his podcast co-host Evan Turner called the Warriors’ Kevin Durant era “unfair” on a recent episode of their Point Forward podcast, Iguodala responded to say the Warriors are still being punished for Durant’s move to Golden State.
“We still don’t get no calls, though,” Iguodala said.
In the six years since Durant’s move to the Bay in 2017, the Warriors have averaged 20.88 free throw attempts per game and 19.03 opponents personal fouls per game – both the third least amount behind the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers in both categories.
In a league that can run on “superstar calls” — where star players get a more favorable whistle — this team of superstars has seen quite the opposite.
Few stars have as contentious a relationship with officials than Green. He’s already four technical fouls shy of a suspension. Green’s made a career of dancing on that line between trouble and greatness, so he claims to have not noticed that the whistle is blowing a little more against them this year. He lives that life every night.
“I’ve always been one with the referees so, my relationship with them has always been the same,” he said. “I don’t think it’s much of a difference for me. That’s just me.”
But that relationship has given him perspective on the referees’ power over players.
“Accountability has been an issue when it comes to referees and players since the beginning of time,” he said. “When you give one person power over another person, more likely than not the moment they can exercise that power, they will. That’s a situation where we’re given no power in the situation.”
It’s unseemly and petty for players and coaches to complain about perceived unfairness. Plus, any direct criticism of the officials could warrant a fine from the commissioner’s office. So they muzzle it, unless a non-call is so egregious they have no choice but to speak out and risk the fine.
Earlier this year, Steph Curry was whacked in the head by Bucks guard Wesley Matthews while shooting a 3-pointer that ultimately went in. No call. Curry was so outraged he got T’d up.
“Anytime the defender is asking you ‘Are you alright?’ and the ref is like, ‘I didn’t see anything,’ that’s kind of a funny situation to be in,” Curry told reporters in Milwaukee last month. “I thought it was clear that I got hit in the face. I was actually surprised it went in. I was more worried about where the foul call was.”
Non-calls have been intrinsically tied to Curry throughout his career. His superstardom blossomed primarily off ball, shooting 3-pointers — which means he has fewer opportunities to draw fouls. But he didn’t get those calls when defenses got more physical. Since his first MVP season and the Warriors’ first title, Curry averages 4.93 free throw attempts per game. For comparison’s sake, despite the different styles of play, fellow MVP guard James Harden averages 10 FTA over that span; Russell Westbrook averages 7.3.
The calls haven’t fallen in the Warriors’ favor. Fans watching in horror should know their eyes don’t deceive. As Green points out, referees hold all the power — and often don’t have to answer for their mistakes outside of the last 2 minute report. All players can do is come to terms with it.
“Refereeing is a job done by humans, so being as its a job done by humans it will never be fair,” he said. “That’s the nature of what it is. Human beings have emotions, human beings have mistakes. Unless we change it to robots, it’ll never be fair.”
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