NBA says Durant’s game-winner vs. Clippers shouldn’t have counted
Monday night’s matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers yielded a series of terrific plays by each team’s superstars in the final minute. According to the NBA’s “Last Two Minute Report” of late-game officiating calls (via PBT), though, two of the biggest plays in the Thunder’s 100-99 win should have benefited the Clips, which likely would have turned the result their way, as well.
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The first play ended positively for the Clippers, although it could have involved another point. With OKC up 98-97 and holding the ball on an inbounds pass after Russell Westbrook’s steal of J.J. Redick, Dion Waiters threw his pass too hard and out of the reach of Westbrook. Chris Paul grabbed the loose ball and coverted this tough bucket to give the lead back to the hosts:
The report says that Paul deserved a trip to the free-throw line:
L-SLASH shows that as he falls to the ground, Westbrook (OKC) undercuts Paul (LAC) and makes contact with his left leg that affects his movement to the basket on the made layup attempt.
That’s a tough break for the Clippers, although they still held a one-point lead with 10 seconds left even without the and-one. That was erased when Kevin Durant made what turned out to be the game-winner over Luc Richard Mbah a Moute:
Except that one shouldn’t have counted either, because the league says that Serge Ibaka set an illegal pick to create some space for Durant:
Ibaka (OKC) extends his arms as he sets the screen on Mbah a Moute (LAC) without giving him room to avoid the contact.
The good news for the Thunder is that Durant’s game-saving block of Paul at the buzzer was deemed clean. Plus, you know, they get to keep the win, the biggest prize of all.
The Clippers will have to make due with the knowledge that the referees should have given them two key calls. On the other hand, these plays do not always receive whistles, especially in crunch time. We’re going to go out on a limb and assume that CP3 isn’t telling his teammates that they really won the game. We know he’s not the type to take solace in moral victories.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
