On Christmas Day, Kevin Durant was the hero.
On December 26, he was the man got away with one…or three.
A day after the Warriors’ forward stifled Cavs’ star LeBron James in the final two minutes of Golden State’s 99-92 victory over Cleveland, the NBA released its “Last Two Minute Report,” which stated that officials missed three fouls on Durant in the game’s final 72 seconds.
In the span of two Cavs’ possessions, the NBA said officials missed calling a foul on body-to-body contact Durant made while attempting to block a James layup attempt, and then missed two more opportunities to call fouls on Durant when he stripped the ball away from James on Cleveland’s final possession.
Even though officials could have called two fouls on Durant while he stole the ball from James, it was Durant’s block of James’ layup attempt with 1:12 left to play that drew the most criticism on social media.
Foul or no foul on Durant? pic.twitter.com/sdolRj1IdQ
— ⓂarcusD (@_MarcusD2_) December 25, 2017
After the game, Durant was told that he was receiving heat for the no-call on Twitter, and he crafted a colorful response to all the armchair officials sitting at home.
“It felt clean, it’s probably the same play a bunch of those dudes on Twitter probably argue about in 24-Hour Fitness that wasn’t a foul,” Durant said. “They’ve been in that position before just not on Christmas and at Oracle. So they know. They know if they ain’t call it, it’s not a foul. But I’m sure if they get that call next week at 24-Hour Fitness they’re going to be pissed that it’s going to be called a foul. Keep that shit on Twitter.”
To read the “Two Minute Report” from the Christmas Day showdown in its entirety, click here.
Durant was also a subject of controversy earlier in the game, when he earned a technical foul for arguing with an official after being called for an offensive foul in the first quarter. Minutes later, Durant was the center of attention after a collision with Cavs’ guard Jose Calderon prompted Calderon to scream in an official’s face, which promptly earned Draymond Green a technical foul from the other side of the court.