Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has one particular play that he would like to see officiated out of the game.
Before the Warriors played the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Kerr called on the NBA to get rid of the “take” foul, the intentional foul committed by a defender to stop a fast break opportunity by the opposing team.
“It’s terrible,” said Kerr, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “It’s terrible for the game. It’s terrible for the fans.”
Kerr proposed that the NBA adopt the FIBA rule of making the “take” foul a one-shot technical. Kerr added that he knows the league is “very serious” about addressing it.
The controversial “take” foul does have a tendency to kill the flow of the game by eliminating transition sequences, which can result in some of the most exciting moments for fans. It also reduces the importance of taking care of the basketball and getting back on defense.
The NBA has had the clear-path foul rule since the 1980s, which awards two free throws and possession to a team that gets deprived of a clear path to the basket by a defensive foul. The rule was expanded in 2018 to include fouls in the backcourt. But the clear-path foul rule is not a deterrent for defenders who have teammates behind them in transition.
The Warriors were hurt a bit by a new rule that was implemented this season. But as one of the most explosive offenses in basketball, they could benefit this time around from the rule change proposed here by Kerr.
Photo: Jan 18, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
