Warriors' Coach Steve Kerr Welcomes NBA's Scoring Decline

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says he welcomes the recent decline in scoring and free-throw attempts across the NBA, attributing it to the league's crackdown on "foul grifting" by players. Kerr believes the officials are swallowing their whistles more often, leading to a drop in free throws and overall scoring compared to earlier in the season.

Why it matters

The shift in officiating and resulting scoring decline has been a notable trend in the NBA this season, with teams averaging fewer points and free-throw attempts per game compared to the start of the season. Kerr's comments provide insight into how one of the league's top coaches views these changes and the ongoing battle between players and officials over foul calls.

The details

In November, 13 teams were attempting 25-plus free throws per game, compared to only two teams doing so in January. The number of teams averaging 20-plus fouls per game has also dropped from 26 in November to just six this month. Meanwhile, the number of teams scoring 120-plus points per game has fallen from 10 in November to 11 currently. Kerr says the league is "responding to the foul grifting" by players, and he is "all for" getting rid of that type of behavior, even if it means lower scoring and free-throw numbers.

• In November, 13 teams were attempting 25-plus free throws per game.
• In January, only 2 teams were attempting 25-plus free throws per game.
• In November, 26 teams were averaging 20-plus fouls per game.
• In January, only 6 teams were averaging 20-plus fouls per game.

What they’re saying