Steve Kerr takes swipe at non-call on LeBron James' slide tackle

ByEthan Sherwood Strauss ESPN logo
Thursday, June 11, 2015

CLEVELAND -- Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr responded with humor to the NBA's ruling that LeBron James' Game 3 slide tackle of Stephen Curry was "the correct non-call."

"Yeah that was the correct call. Slide tackling is perfectly legal. Totally agree," Kerr said.

The play occurred in the final minute of the Cleveland Cavaliers' 96-91 victory over the Warriors, resulting in a turnover for Curry. On the play, James knocks the ball away from Curry while sliding into his legs.

The NBA declared that the contact away from the strip was "incidental" and therefore legal, stating, "James (CLE) cleanly strips the ball from Curry (GSW) before contact is made. The contact made after the strip is incidental to the players' attempt to retrieve the ball."

Kerr joked that the interpretation of James' play sets a precedent for his team, saying: "We're going to teach it. We're going to teach traveling, too, before next year. Traveling's allowed."

In Game 3, the Cavaliers shot 24 free throws and the Warriors attempted 12. When asked specifically about Curry not shooting a free throw in that game, Kerr said: "I didn't think we deserved a lot of trips to the line."

Related Video