Report: Rockets look for NBA to overturn 2-OT loss
ByReuters
Published 04/12/2019 at 16:04 GMT
The Houston Rockets lost a double-overtime thriller to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night, but the team is reportedly hoping the league will change it to a victory after the referees admitted blowing a call.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
The play in question occurred with 7:50 left in regulation, when the Rockets'
James Harden dunked so hard on a breakaway the ball appeared to not make it
through the net.
James Harden dunked so hard on a breakaway the ball appeared to not make it
through the net.
The dunk would have given the Rockets a 104-89 lead.
Crew chief James Capers explained afterward why they disallowed the field
goal.
goal.
"When the play happened, Harden goes in for a dunk, and then the ball appears
to us to pop back through the net," said Capers. "When that happens, that is
basket interference. To have a successful field goal, it must clear the net.
We have since come in here and looked at the play. He dunked it so hard that
the net carried it back over the rim a second time, so in fact it did clear
the net and should have been a successful field goal."
to us to pop back through the net," said Capers. "When that happens, that is
basket interference. To have a successful field goal, it must clear the net.
We have since come in here and looked at the play. He dunked it so hard that
the net carried it back over the rim a second time, so in fact it did clear
the net and should have been a successful field goal."
Capers also said that while the Rockets were protesting, the 30-second window
for requesting a challenge passed.
for requesting a challenge passed.
Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni insists he did try to challenge it.
"They said that the ball hit James and went back through (the hoop), so it was
goaltending on James, so I said, 'I challenge that,' " D'Antoni told
reporters. "I didn't get a response. Another guy said that it wasn't
goaltending, it just went out of bounds on us. I said, 'Well, I challenge
that.' They go, 'Can't do that.' I don't know. I didn't get an explanation. I
got nothin'."
goaltending on James, so I said, 'I challenge that,' " D'Antoni told
reporters. "I didn't get a response. Another guy said that it wasn't
goaltending, it just went out of bounds on us. I said, 'Well, I challenge
that.' They go, 'Can't do that.' I don't know. I didn't get an explanation. I
got nothin'."
ESPN's Tim MacMahon says the Rockets are hopeful the league will either
reverse the result or allow for the final 7:50 of regulation to be replayed.
reverse the result or allow for the final 7:50 of regulation to be replayed.
According to ESPN, the last time the NBA allowed part of a game to be replayed
was in 2008. In that game, officials incorrectly ruled that Miami Heat center
Shaquille O'Neal had fouled out with 51.9 seconds remaining in an overtime
loss to the Atlanta Hawks. They replayed the final 51.9 seconds before their
next game, though the Heat still lost.
was in 2008. In that game, officials incorrectly ruled that Miami Heat center
Shaquille O'Neal had fouled out with 51.9 seconds remaining in an overtime
loss to the Atlanta Hawks. They replayed the final 51.9 seconds before their
next game, though the Heat still lost.
On Tuesday, Harden poured in 50 points, making all 24 of his free throws, in
the loss. He was also whistled for an offensive foul on a potential
game-winning drive to the basket with 0.4 seconds left in regulation.
the loss. He was also whistled for an offensive foul on a potential
game-winning drive to the basket with 0.4 seconds left in regulation.
--Field Level Media
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