Alabama landed a much-needed running back in NC State's Hollywood Smothers from the transfer portal on Jan. 5.
Former Canadiens Center Lands Nice Payday
Former Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak has landed himself a very nice payday.
The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have signed Dvorak to a five-year, $25.75 million contract extension. Starting next season, Dvorak will have a $5.15 million cap hit with the Flyers.
It was well-known that the Flyers were looking to sign Dvorak to a contract extension, and they have now successfully done just that. The former Canadiens forward will now continue to be a good part of the Flyers' roster for multiple years because of it.
Dvorak's time with the Canadiens came to an end during the 2025 NHL off-season when he signed a one-year, $5.4 million contract with the Flyers in free agency. This is decision that has benefited both the Flyers and Dvorak tremendously.
Dvorak has cemented himself as an important part of the Flyers' top six this season. In 39 games so far this season with Philadelphia, he has recorded nine goals, 16 assists, 25 points, and a plus-8 rating. With this, he is currently on pace to have a career year with the Flyers. This is after he had 12 goals and 33 points in 82 games during his final season with the Canadiens in 2024-25.
Dvorak appeared in 232 games over four seasons with Montreal, where he recorded 38 goals, 65 assists, and 103 points.
Bryce Underwood returning to Michigan football: It’s official
After a few days with the transfer portal open, QB Bryce Underwood made it official: He's returning for his sophomore season.
Michigan football loses QB Mike Keene, RB Bryson Kuzdzal to portal
Mikey Keene became the third Michigan football QB to enter the portal the past two weeks while Bryson Kuzdzal is the second running back to depart.
GAME DAY: Senators Look For Third Straight Win, Hosting Red Wings
The Ottawa Senators hope to continue their modest charge up the NHL standings on Monday night when they host the Detroit Red Wings (7:30 pm on Prime). The Sens have won two straight games, and despite being in second last place in the Atlantic, they're the only team besides first-place Tampa Bay with a positive goal differential.
Entering play on Monday, only eight points separates the Atlantic Division's eight teams.
Both teams are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
The Senators beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 on Saturday, but Detroit is coming off a sluggish 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, managing only 12 shots in the loss. The Wings hope that AHL callup John Leonard might provide a little more offence. Leonard stands second in the AHL with 20 goals, one behind the leader, Arthur Kaliyev from Ottawa's top farm club in Belleville.
Tim Stutzle will try extend his point streak to 13 games. He has some work to do to catch Dany Heatley, and in fact, he's still a couple of games away from what he did just last year.
Leevi Meriläinen gets the start in goal again as the Sens hit the exact midway point of the season with this one. They'll line up their chess pieces like this:
Zetterlund-Stutzle-Giroux
Tkachuk-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
Cousins-Halliday-Perron
Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Spence
Merilainen
Shepard
Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa
3 Trade Targets To Help Winnipeg's Scoring Problems
The Winnipeg Jets are entering a critical stretch of the season. As they reach the halfway mark, the organization faces a key decision: continue pushing for a playoff spot and a potential championship or focus on building for next season. With core players like Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Connor Hellebuyck still in their prime, the Jets cannot afford to let this season slip away without decisive action.
According to multiple sources, including Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Winnipeg has been exploring ways to add scoring at the trade deadline. Friedman noted that the Jets are focused on players with term rather than short-term rentals, and the process is complicated by some players’ no-trade clauses. Despite limited options, there are several intriguing targets the Jets could pursue to spark a turnaround or acquire a player who can contribute long-term.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
One option for Winnipeg could be Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The 25-year-old, a former third overall pick, has experience and potential but is currently buried on Carolina’s fourth line. Friedman reported that Carolina has previously explored moving Kotkaniemi in trade talks involving Phillip Danault and Quinn Hughes, showing a willingness to part with him under the right circumstances.
Kotkaniemi is a reclamation project who could thrive in a fresh setting. With Winnipeg, he could slot into a second-line role alongside Cole Perfetti, with Gabe Vilardi providing additional offensive support. The Jets could leverage assets such as former first-round pick Brad Lambert to acquire him, making Kotkaniemi a relatively low-risk, high-upside addition capable of boosting a late-season playoff push while contributing in future seasons.
Nick Robertson
Another potential target is 24-year-old forward Nick Robertson from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Robertson has posted 20 points in 39 games, putting him on pace for a career-high 41. With Toronto dealing with injuries and seeking defensive depth, Robertson has been linked to trade discussions.
The Jets could offer 27-year-old defenseman Stanley, who is having a career-best season with 30 points, more than double his previous high, and whose six-foot-seven frame fits the physical style favored by Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube. Such a trade would benefit both teams. Toronto would gain a reliable defenseman and future draft capital, while Winnipeg would acquire a young winger with high upside who could develop alongside Cole Perfetti for years to come.
Rickard Rakell
Finally, the Jets could look at proven winger Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 32-year-old Swedish forward is coming off a career-high 70-point season and is currently on pace for 45 points this season. He carries a $5 million cap hit with three years remaining, fitting into Pittsburgh’s salary structure.
The Penguins’ recent strong play makes it unlikely they would move a key veteran at the moment. If Pittsburgh falters and begins slipping out of playoff contention, they could reconsider trading Rakell. For Winnipeg, the timing of such a move would be crucial. If possible, Rakell could replace much of the scoring lost with Nikolaj Ehlers’ departure while providing immediate impact and stability for years to come. The trade could also give Brad Lambert a fresh start with Pittsburgh.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: Trae Young's agents working with Hawks to find trade for point guard
Here are some of the latest trade rumors from around the league, with most of the buzz being about an All-Star point guard in Atlanta.
Trae Young
The writing was on the wall when Atlanta didn't reach a contract extension with Trae Young last summer, but his exit from the ATL looks like it will come sooner rather than later.
Young's agents — Aaron Mintz, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown — are working with the Hawks to find a trade for the four-time All-Star before the Feb. 5 deadline, a deal that works for everyone, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Young has missed the last four games with a quad contusion and, while nothing is set in stone (it usually takes time to put a trade together), it is possible we have seen the last of Young in a Hawks uniform.
Atlanta started testing the trade waters last summer but ramped up efforts when Young was injured this season and the team went 13-9 without him. They then dropped the next four games when he returned (they are 2-8 in the games Young has played this season). The team's play while he was out showed a road map to the next evolution of this team, one without Young dominating the ball.
The challenge is that there is not much of a market for the 27-year-old former All-Star, league sources told NBC Sports. Ask yourself this: What serious playoff team would be better making a big trade for Young? Good luck finding one.
While Young an offense unto himself — a season ago, when largely healthy (he played in 76 games), he averaged 24.2 points and 11.6 assists a game — his lack of defense, size (listed as 6'2" but that feels generous), injury concerns, the fact he's not popular with other players in general, and that he has a $49 million player option for next season all combine to give teams pause. Fair or not, Young's reputation is that he's good, but not someone a franchise can build a contender around, which means teams don't want to pay him big dollars.
What team is interested?
Wizards eyeing Trae Young
The Washington Wizards might be his landing spot, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
The Wizards have emerged as a legitimate potential trade destination for Atlanta's Trae Young, @TheSteinLine has learned, in a deal construction centered around CJ McCollum's expiring contract.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 5, 2026
More to come here: https://t.co/i9CobUR55Tpic.twitter.com/k9xOa2DZas
Why would Washington do this? It's a short-term play for a franchise that is seeking some level of relevance (and, in CJ McCollum, they don't give up a player who is part of their future). Young paired with a young core of Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and whoever they draft in June is at least interesting, should have a lot of firepower, and would give fans in Washington an entertaining product to watch. That kind of "let's prioritize making the postseason soon" thinking has long been rumored to come from Washington's ownership.
This doesn't have to be a long-term play by the Wizards, although you can be sure Young's agents are looking to get him to a team willing extend and pay him big money. We'll see if that's Washington or somewhere else.
In other trade news...
Lakers looking for two-way wing
That the Lakers are trying to reshape their roster to better fit around Luka Doncic, and that they need 3&D wings to do that, are not exactly state secrets.
Which is why the Lakers have been linked to every wing available at the trade deadline. As Marc Stein put it at The Stein Line: "The Lakers continue to scour the trade market in hopes of acquiring a two-way wing with size."
The problem is that 29 other teams are looking for players like that as well, and the supply of those players is limited. Ideally, the Lakers would like to get Herb Jones out of New Orleans (reportedly not available), Andrew Wiggins out of Miami, or even Dillon Brooks out of Phoenix (no way that last one is happening, Suns owner Matt Ishbia already shot it down).
Don't bother calling… Suns aren't interested. Dillon's not going anywhere https://t.co/Jqg6Nxx1D3
— Mat Ishbia (@Mishbia15) January 5, 2026
Even if those players become available, the Lakers may not have enough to get a deal done. That means Los Angeles may end up trying to land Keon Ellis from Sacramento or Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago, good young players with potential to fill that role.
The Lakers know what they need to do, but actually doing it is not so easy.
Mavericks not liking return for Davis
If you've been a regular reader of our trade rumors updates, this is not news to you, but here is another source echoing the same idea:
The market for Anthony Davis is limited and teams are not willing to give up much — especially the picks and young players the Mavericks are seeking — in any trade. Here is what Mavericks writer Christian Clark wrote at The Athletic.
Dallas' predicament is that dealing Davis isn't likely to bring back a combination of expiring money, young talent and draft capital needed to reorient around No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. Davis' age (he turns 33 in March), injury history and desire for a lucrative contract extension this summer have teams wary about surrendering too much to get him, based on conversations The Athletic had with three different NBA executives.
Chatter about an Anthony Davis trade continues to focus on the Atlanta Hawks, which has the big salaries to match Davis' deal as well as picks that would entice the Mavs. However, if Atlanta is going to move on from Trae Young, is Davis a good fit (the Mavericks have made it clear they don't want Young)? Also, league sources told NBC Sports they doubted Atlanta would give up the kind of pick package that Dallas would seek.
For his part, Anthony Davis would like to remain in Dallas and sign an extension with the Mavericks, reports ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Of course, Davis would also have preferred to stay in Los Angeles playing next to LeBron James, but that's not the world we live in.
Don’t expect Adebayo trade
We live in a world where what was once thought impossible now happens with impunity. Combine that with the pressures of the NBA trade deadline and wild rumors start. In that vein…
No, the Miami Heat are not going to trade Bam Adebayo.
Don't even start, because Miami isn't. It would take something extraordinary for them to even consider it, and then they still likely would say no. Don't just take my word for it, here is what Zach Lowe of The Ringer said on his podcast.
"He is the standard-bearer, he is the culture-bearer. I don't think there's one part of them that wants to do it... Other teams I know have for sure asked about Bam and have been told 'Hell no' and the wild card you also have to consider as they sniff around at Giannis and other star players, all of those star players want to play with Bam."
Michael Bradley on Red Bull New York opportunity: ‘How in the world could you say no?’
Bradley was introduced Monday as the club's first-team coach and appears ready for the challenge.
Indiana’s blowout win over Alabama at the Rose Bowl drew a record 23.9 million viewers
The Rose Bowl was the most watched game in the 12-team College Football Playoff era.
Observations after Sixers fall back to earth with OT loss to Nuggets
Observations after Sixers fall back to earth with OT loss to Nuggets originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers fell back to earth Monday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
They had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 125-124 overtime loss to the Nuggets.
Joel Embiid goaltended a Bruce Brown layup with 5.3 seconds left in overtime. Tyrese Maxey missed a game-winning floater attempt just before the final buzzer.
Embiid had 32 points and 10 rebounds. Maxey posted 28 points‚ 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
The Nuggets were heavily shorthanded. Nikola Jokic‚ Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon were among the many players out for Denver.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said he expects Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left knee adductor strain) to be cleared to return “any day now.” The two did full-court 3-on-3 scrimmaging after the Sixers’ morning shootaround.
The 19-15 Sixers will host the Wizards on Wednesday. Here are observations on their loss to the Nuggets:
Slow start in return to Philly
The Sixers were not sharp out of the gates in their first game back home after a five-game road trip.
With three-pointers from Jalen Pickett and Spencer Jones‚ Denver went up 11-2. The Sixers’ offense was sloppy and the team missed its first six threes.
Embiid’s size was still a serious challenge for the Nuggets without their usual top centers. The Sixers had little trouble feeding him against Denver’s zone and he scored 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the first quarter.
A Maxey three late in the first gave the Sixers a 26-24 edge. The Maxey-Embiid pair had 19 of the Sixers’ 26 first-quarter points.
Edgecombe comes up empty in first half
Unlike Saturday in their win over the Knicks‚ the Sixers did not have a great start to the second quarter with Embiid and Maxey on the bench.
Much of that stemmed from a steep drop-off scoring-wise for VJ Edgecombe‚ who began 0 for 5 from the floor and was scoreless until he knocked down a jumper with 6:52 left in the third quarter. Edgecombe missed a couple of driving layups through contact and was off on open three-point tries.
On the other end‚ the Nuggets’ offense was three-point-centric. Pickett sunk four in the first half (7 in the game) on his way to a career-high 29 points. Denver continued to pose real problems for the Sixers despite its major manpower disadvantage. Quentin Grimes’ corner jumper with 0.9 seconds left in the second quarter tied the game at 58-all.
Talent not everything
Even with his scoreless first half‚ Edgecombe still contributed in a bunch of areas‚ as he typically does. The rookie ended up with 17 points‚ 9 assists and 8 rebounds.
He helped the Sixers take a lead as large as nine points late in the third quarter. Maxey also had his foot on the gas and the talent disparity between the teams grew clearer.
However‚ talent isn’t everything.
The Sixers had a poor start to the fourth quarter with Embiid out. Grimes fouled Hunter Tyson on a four-point play that put the Nuggets up 104-100.
The Sixers’ situation looked bleak when Adem Bona fouled Brown on a corner three attempt and Brown made it 120-115 at the foul line. They weren’t out of it yet‚ though. Edgecombe canned a clutch three and Maxey hit a game-tying layup.
OT was chaotic. Ultimately‚ the Sixers couldn’t execute quite well enough and paid for their rough start.
Former Penn State QB Ethan Grunkemeyer transfers to Virginia Tech, reuniting with head coach James Franklin
Former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has transferred to Virginia Tech, reuniting with head coach James Franklin.
Warriors' biggest area of need is evident as ever after loss to Clippers
Warriors' biggest area of need is evident as ever after loss to Clippers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Losing by one point in a game where your coach was ejected after a blatant missed call that should have been two points for the Warriors off a goaltending call gives them every reason to be as incredulously irate as Steve Kerr was with the referees.
Emotions aside, a much larger problem couldn’t be more obvious after the Warriors’ 103-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night at Intuit Dome.
The Warriors finally flipped the script on their opponent and won the turnover battle seven to 20. They swiped a season-high 18 steals, which is their most in more than four years. They scored 27 points off turnovers while giving away just seven, and their seven turnovers also were a season best.
A loss still followed them back to the visitor’s locker room and onto their short flight back home. Why? Because the team with the greatest shooter of all time can’t shoot.
No team is going to win shooting 38 percent overall (35 of 92) with a 24.4 3-point percentage (10 of 41).
Steph Curry, to his standards, didn’t have the best shooting game. He went 9 of 23 from the field (39.1 percent) and 4 of 15 from 3-point range (26.7 percent), also making all five of his free throws. But his 27 points led all scorers from both teams, and the only reason the Warriors had a chance at the end was because of Curry’s back-to-back threes in the final minute and a half to bring them within one point before he fouled out at the 42.7-second mark for the first time since Dec. 17, 2021.
Even on an off night, Curry still was the only Warrior to make multiple threes. The Warriors lead the NBA in threes per game, but that’s because he’s responsible for 30 percent of them. Accuracy and shot making has been a serious problem for the Warriors this season and must be atop the priority list now that the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline is less than a month away.
“I thought we played well. We couldn’t hit shots,” Draymond Green told reporters in LA. “We missed a lot of shots. Lot of shots that we normally make, or can make, we missed. But we took care of the ball. We defended without fouling. I thought we did a lot of good things.
“We forced turnovers, we just didn’t capitalize enough. In a game where you force 20 turnovers and have seven turnovers, we should probably have 130, 140 [points]. It’s unfortunate.”
Green responded admirably one game after his latest ejection. As he put his body on the line and kept staying in the game, Green tied his season-high of 12 assists and did so with just one turnover, helping make him a game-high plus-15 in 32 minutes.
He also was one of many Warriors who couldn’t get the ball to go through the net. The Clippers were begging him to shoot, with the Warriors veteran accepting their invitations and leaving without any party favors. Green missed all six of his threes and converted two layups. That’s about how it went for any Warriors outside of Curry and Jimmy Butler.
Those two combined for 51 points, exactly half of the team’s total. The rest of the starting five – Green, Moses Moody and Quinten Post – totaled 15 points on 17.6-percent shooting (5 of 17) and went 1 of 11 beyond the arc. Gary Payton II was the lone Warrior outside of Curry and Butler to score in double figures, finishing with 14 points off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting, making three dunks, two layups and one floater.
Ironically, the hottest shooter of the night was a rookie on a two-way contract the Warriors could have snagged in the second round of last June’s draft. Kobe Sanders scored a career-high 20 points and was more dynamic than any of the Warriors’ young players still trying to prove themselves. The San Diego native made nine of his 16 shot attempts as he showcased the skill that got him drafted in the first place.
Sanders worked out for the Warriors at Chase Center prior to the draft and would have been available for them if they didn’t trade back from 41 to take Alex Toohey two picks after the Clippers added Sanders at No. 50 overall. Toohey didn’t play a single game for the Warriors, or their G League affiliate this season and was waived by Golden State on Dec. 8.
All five Clippers starters scored in double figures. The Warriors attempted 15 more shots than the Clippers but made two fewer than them, too. For more than eight minutes of a 13-point third quarter, the Warriors didn’t make a single shot.
They now rank 27th in field-goal percentage (45.2 percent), 15th in 3-point percentage (36 percent) and 20th in offensive rating (113.6). Starting Jan. 15, Jonathan Kuminga becomes trade eligible. The trade deadline is exactly three weeks later.
Several areas of need stick out. The Warriors still are too small, and an extra ball-handler wouldn’t hurt. Consistently and confidently knowing somebody else outside of Curry and Butler will put points on the scoreboard and be a threat from 3-point distance somehow remains the biggest problem at the start of 2026.
Canucks’ Newest Hire Has A Surprising Connection To Vancouver’s Management Team
The Vancouver Canucks have made a surprising addition to their scouting staff today, with the team announcing that they’ve hired former NHLer Jack Johnson as a pro-scout. Johnson, a 19-year NHL veteran, has interesting ties to the Canucks’ current management team.
As a solid NHL defender, Johnson put together 77 goals and 265 assists throughout 1228 NHL games. His NHL career spanned the better part of 19 seasons, towards the end of which he won his first Stanley Cup as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. He concluded his NHL career in the 2024–25 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, playing in 41 games and tallying six assists.
Johnson was selected third-overall in the 2005 NHL Draft, picked by none-other than current Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford, who was the General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes at that time. Surprisingly enough, Rutherford was also the General Manager who traded Johnson back in 2006, dealing him to the Los Angeles Kings on September 29.
Drafting Johnson to Carolina was not the only time Rutherford re-acquired Johnson, as he also signed the defenceman in free-agency in July of 2018 as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Johnson was bought-out by the Penguins in 2020 and currently still counts towards their salary cap.
Vancouver is in the process of embarking on a six-game road trip that will take them across the east coast. Their first game takes place tomorrow against the Buffalo Sabres at 4:00 pm PT. They will take on Johnson's most recent former team, the Blue Jackets, in their last game of the trip on January 15.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Referee admits incorrect goaltending call that led to fiery Steve Kerr ejection
Referee admits incorrect goaltending call that led to fiery Steve Kerr ejection originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors coach Steve Kerr unleashed on officials early in the fourth quarter of Golden State’s 103-102 loss to the Clippers on Monday at Intuit Dome, when the referees missed a goaltending call on Los Angeles.
Kerr received double technical fouls during the tirade and was ejected, but after the game, crew chief Brian Forte admitted referees did indeed miss the call in an interview with Pool Reporter Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.
Forte detailed what led to Kerr’s ejection and why the uncalled goaltending wasn’t reviewed by officials.
AZARLY: What did Steve Kerr say to warrant the first and then the second technical fouls that led to his ejection?
FORTE: For the first technical foul, Coach Kerr aggressively approached the official while shouting profanities. 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.
AZARLY: It appeared as though an uncalled goaltending is what led to Kerr’s frustrations. Was that correctly uncalled and could that play have been whistled in order to trigger a review?
FORTE: The shot by [Gary]Payton hit the backboard prior to being touched by Collins. It should have been ruled a goaltending violation. The only way it could have been reviewed was if it was called on the floor and the Clippers challenged the call, because it did not occur in the last two minutes of the game.
AZARLY: Only in the last two minutes is where you can trigger the automatic review?
FORTE: That is correct.
Forte also explained why Steph Curry not given continuation on his made floater a few plays before the goaltending in the fourth quarter.
“Curry was grabbed around the hip by [John] Collins prior to the gather,” Forte told Azarly. “And this was correctly ruled a non-shooting foul.”
The officiating proved consequential in a game that came down to the final seconds, with the Warriors losing by just one point.
Terry Stotts comically saves Warriors coach Steve Kerr from fine after ejection
Terry Stotts comically saves Warriors coach Steve Kerr from fine after ejection originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Marshawn Lynch used to show up for press conferences so he wouldn’t get fined, and Warriors assistant Terry Stotts handled Monday’s postgame media availability to save coach Steve Kerr from a potential fine.
Stotts took the podium after a livid Kerr was ejected in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 103-102 loss to the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome.
“I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money,” Stotts told reporters after the game. “So, that’s the only reason I’m here.”
Kerr was tossed from Monday’s game just over four minutes into the fourth quarter after arguing a missed goaltending call by the officiating crew.
Gary Payton II’s shot clearly hit the backboard before John Collins swatted it away, but the refs missed it, costing the Warriors two points, which proved to be pivotal in the outcome of the game.
But before the missed goaltending call, the Warriors were upset when a Steph Curry bucket was waved off because continuation wasn’t awarded following a Collins foul.
So, the blood was boiling for Kerr and the Warriors.
“What particularly?” Stotts said when asked what set Kerr off. “I think it’s that goaltending call that was missed. Well, there’s probably some other things, but that was the last straw, probably. I don’t want to speak for Steve.”
In real time, the Warriors were convinced the refs missed the call.
“I didn’t see a replay, but it sure seemed obvious at the time that it was a goaltend,” Stotts said.
Stotts said the Warriors didn’t receive an explanation from the officiating crew on what happened on the missed goaltending call.
But crew chief Brian Forte spoke to ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly for the Pool Report and explained why Kerr was ejected.
“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.”
While teams usually have to wait until the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report is released the next day for the league to own up to missed calls, Forte admitted his crew got Monday’s call wrong.
“The shot by [Gary] Payton hit the backboard prior to being touched by Collins,” Forte said. “It should have been ruled a goaltending violation. The only way it could have been reviewed was if it was called on the floor and the Clippers challenged the call, because it did not occur in the last two minutes of the game.”
Despite the Warriors appearing to lose their cool in the fourth quarter, they made a late push and almost pulled out a remarkable win. Jimmy Butler’s fadeaway in the final seconds fell short, dropping Golden State to 19-18.
“There’s always going to be some frustration in a close game,” Stotts said. “The game, there’s going to be an ebb and flow of the game, but I thought for the most part, we kept our composure. You look at the stat sheet, we did a lot of good things. You look at how many turnovers we forced, we played our asses off. So I don’t know if frustration is the right word. When you’re not making some shots … I don’t think any frustration affected our game, let’s put it that way.”
Kerr, ejected for the first time this season, has earned four technical fouls in 37 games this year. It was the fifth disqualification of his coaching career.