The Dallas Mavericks won one of the most exciting games of the season on Thursday, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in double overtime. But the breathtaking match was not without controversy. The NBA’s disclosure of its Last Two Minute Report a day later fueled the controversy.
None of the team was pleased with the game’s referees, but the Lakers were especially displeased when their comeback fell just short of putting the game out of reach. The major point of dispute was a potential game-winning shot by Lakers wing Troy Brown Jr. that was rejected by Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr., forcing the game into overtime.
Tim Hardaway Jr block pic.twitter.com/tWOr16ivgU
— Oh no he didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 13, 2023
Although Troy boldly protested the call, the league stuck by its decision that Mavericks small forward Tim Hardaway Jr. did not foul Lakers small forward Troy Brown Jr. LeBron James, Troy Brown Jr., and head coach Darvin Ham were all agitated by what they were certain was a no-call.
LeBron James was especially furious. No, it’s a f***ing foul,” James said strongly for everyone in the room to hear. “It’s a foul. No matter what [Brown] says, it’s a f***ing foul. That s*** is blatant, and they should have called it.”
A day later, the NBA confirmed that the referee’s call was a mistake, though not in the way James and the Lakers had claimed. The officials missed seven calls and no-called in the final two minutes of regulation and both overtime periods, according to the report, although the no-call on Hardaway was correct.
To more of our surprise, the NBA confessed that two calls were missed on the same possession at the end of the first overtime. With less than 15 seconds left, James drove to the basket despite being covered by Doncic but was thwarted by an assisting Christian Wood. Doncic recovered the ball after a scramble for it, forcing double overtime.
