Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors reacts during their game against the Toronto Raptors at ORACLE Arena on December 28, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Ezra Shaw)
Kevin Durant lost his 18th game against fierce rival LeBron James after officials missed two calls in the final two minutes of the Golden State Warriors' 109-108 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day. The 2014 NBA MVP is siding with the referees, whom he thought were "thrown under the bus" by the league's Last Two Minute report.
The multi-faceted forward did not hold back from blasting the league in an expletive-laden rant after the NBA revealed that game officials missed two crucial calls in the last two minutes. However, it was not about the missed calls that Durant was frustrated with the NBA but how the league throws the referees were thrown under the bus with the L2M report, SB Nation reported.
Durant said that the referees did not cause the Warriors to lose the game. He added that game officials come into the game to try to call every play fairly and do not relax within the 48 minutes of an NBA game. He added that with the NBA releasing the L2M report, they are throwing the referees under the bus since the game is won within 48 minutes and not just in the final two minutes.
The former 2007 second overall pick said that the league should get rid of the report and the refs do not deserve to be criticized. He noted that they are officiating the game in real-time, unlike the L2M report that is reviewed in slow motion.
It did not take much for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to side with his player. USA Today reported. Kerr said the L2M report puts "refs in a tough spot." He added that he appreciates the league being transparent with the review but said he does not know what it accomplishes.
Watch Durant's highlights in the Warriors' latest win against the Toronto Raptors:
