Storyline: It’s not as though this hasn’t happened before, especially during the Playoffs. Refs frequently miss calls in high-profile games. The NBA needs to come up with a solution.
Charles Barkley said he had never seen anything like it in all his 30 years in the NBA. It’s what happened during the last possession in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals between Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
After being embarrassed in Game 1 by the 32-point loss, Oklahoma City started strong in Game 2 and was able to maintain a lead throughout the game. Then the Thunder survived a riotous ending Monday night to tie the series 1-1.
Deon Waiters tries to throw in ball at end of Thunder-Spurs Game 2 (photo, oknews.com)
With 13.5 seconds remaining in the 4th Quarter, Thunder guard Dion Waiters was inbounding the ball at the half-court line. The Spurs were very active on defense, not allowing any of Waiters’ teammate’s room to get open. After a wild lob to half court, the Spurs got a steal, then a shot opportunity from the corner, which missed, and then another opportunity. Spurs power forward LaMarcus Aldridge grabbed an offensive rebound, but the team wasn’t able to get it up in time.
That in itself seems like a wild 13 seconds, doesn’t it? Thunder pulled away with a 98-97 victory over Spurs following a crazy, controversial finish.
The controversy and reactions began at the very beginning of that last possession—with Waiters creating space. Trying to get open, he stepped onto the court and viciously shoved his elbow into the Spurs guard Manu Ginobili’s chest. (Watch a video of the play here, courtesy of Rant Sports). Ginobili is also seen as stepping on the sideline.
Some call this the WORST MISSED CALL IN NBA HISTORY!
Stepping onto the court during in inbound itself is a violation. This could have also been a call of unnecessary contact, which is a technical foul. Another possible call could have been an offensive foul.
Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, immediately took to Twitter after the game, tweeting: “If that happened to us on a throw in we would already have the protest written. Misapplication of throw in rule. If only to make a point.” And, during his postgame interview, San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich said: “Something certainly happened on the sideline.”
Demar Derozan got away with foul at end of Raptors-Pacers Game 7 (photo, tipofthetower.com)
Earlier in the day, NBA league officials came out with a statement admitting that Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan had committed a foul, writing: “DeRozan makes body contact with Mahinmi (IND), dislodging him and affecting his ability to catch the alley-oop pass.”
What’s the context for this statement? The Pacers were down three with less than 20 seconds left in Game 7 of the series. Paul George, who could have gotten off a shot, passed a lob to Ian Mahinmi at the rim, who was visibly pushed out of the way by DeRozan. The ball flew over Mahinmi’s head for a turnover in one of Indiana’s last offensive possessions of the game. (View the play here, courtesy Fox Sports.)
The Raptors succeeded with an 89-94 win, winning the series. Tuesday will mark the first appearance for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Second Round in 15 years.
These two games have multiple similarities. First, the non-calls didn’t cost the losing team the game. The Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs each had another opportunity to score, but did not. As Manu Ginobili told TNT reporter Craig Sager, “Things happen.”
The second similarity is that a call should have been made, which could have impacted each game, but acknowledging a controversial call once the game is final no longer has an effect. About an hour after Monday night’s game, San Antonio officials released a statement from Ken Mauer, the lead referee: “On the floor we did not see a foul on the play. However, upon review, we did realize and we agree we should have had an offensive foul on the play. It’s a play we’ve never seen before, ever. We should have had an offensive foul on the play.”
This is a redundant issue in the NBA. Officials should reevaluate the rules and regulations of the game and be more aware on the court, especially during the Playoffs.
