The NBA’s Last Two Minute report displays there were three incorrect non-calls in the final 71 seconds of Sunday’s game between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
April 28, 2019; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the second quarter in game one of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Warriors posted a 104-100 victory in the Western Conference semifinal opener in a contest in which Rockets guard James Harden criticized the officiating afterward.
Two of the incorrect non-calls involved Harden but a pivotal non-call with 10.1 seconds left was ruled to have been correct.
In that sequence, Harden put up a 3-pointer with 10.1 seconds left that could have tied the game. There was no foul called on Golden State’s Draymond Green because “Harden (HOU) draws Green (GSW) into the air during his shot attempt. Green jumps in front of Harden and would have missed him if Harden hadn’t extended his legs.”
The incorrect non-calls occurred with 1:10.6, 51.9 seconds and 5.2 seconds remaining.
The first involved a turnover by Harden in which he stepped on the baseline. The report said that a foul should have been called on Golden State’s Stephen Curry.
“(Review) shows that Curry (GSW) is moving laterally into Harden’s (HOU) path and that the contact causes Harden to go out of bounds,” the report said.
With 51.9 seconds left, Golden State’s Klay Thompson made a move toward the basket and took a jumper. The report said Thompson should have been called for traveling.
“Thompson (GSW) slides his pivot foot at the end of his dribble,” according to the report.
After Harden missed the tying 3-point shot with 10.1 seconds left, there was a scramble for the loose ball. Houston’s Eric Gordon was ruled to have stepped out of bounds with 5.2 seconds left. The report said Curry should have been called for a foul.
“(Review) shows Curry (GSW) makes contact with Gordon’s (HOU) arm, affecting his ability to secure the ball,” the report said.
In the aftermath of that call, Houston’s Chris Paul was called for a technical foul and Curry made it to turn the contest into a two-possession game as the Warriors hung on.
—Field Level Media