Steve Kerr offers sad excuse for Lakers win over Warriors in Game 4

The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Golden State Warriors on Monday night and emerged victoriously in what will be remembered as the Lonnie Walker IV game. Los Angeles won 104-101 and earned a massive 3-1 series lead in the process.

Nothing is guaranteed and the Lakers still have unfinished business but it is impossible to not like the team’s chances with a 3-1 lead. Steve Kerr and his team know this, which is why it was such a devastating loss for the Warriors.

In his post-game press conference on Monday night, Kerr offered an explanation of what he thought happened in the game and in the fourth quarter specifically. While Kerr gave credit to Walker and his effort, he also blamed the referees (surprise, surprise) and the Lakers’ “gamesmanship”.

Look, we all knew before the game that Scott Foster officiating this game would benefit the Lakers because of how often they get to the line and how Foster is quick to blow the whistle. And while there were illegal screen fouls called, this isn’t the best excuse from Kerr.

Steve Kerr’s excuse ignores the fact that the Lakers have been the better team

I understand why Kerr is upset with some of these calls as these are screens that the Warriors get away with all the time in the regular season. But if we really took a magnifying glass to Golden State’s offense, we would see plenty of examples of screens that illegal by definition that can be whistled.

The Lakers now this so of course the team is going to play into this. It is the same way Stephen Curry (and any guard, for that matter) flails a certain way when there is contact near the rim. To try and point the finger at LA and say that the Lakers won because of gamesmanship is unguided.

Los Angeles has been the better team in this series, plain and simple. Outside of the Game 2 thrashing in which the Lakers seemed to give up by halftime, LA has been far more well-rounded and has been able to attack the Warriors’ weaknesses in a way that Golden State has not been able to reciprocate.

Sure, the Lakers have gotten to the line more, but that is by design. Los Angeles ranked first in free throws attempted in the regular season. A mark of good basketball is getting to the free-throw line. But now suddenly it is some unbroken rule by the Lake Show?

The job isn’t finished but it will be interesting to see what excuses flow out of the Bay Area if the purple and gold do advance to the Western Conference Finals.