The Portland Trail Blazers’ 114-110 win over the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday was a high-octane thriller that left players and fans of both teams upset about officiating.
Through the TV screen, one could hear Blazers All-Star Deni Avdija furiously screaming at the baseline official about an and-1 call he wanted in the final minute. In the postgame press conference, Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green called out the officials, saying they needed to call the same fouls for both
teams.
Blazers and Suns fans alike lit up social media sites with complaints about the calls in real-time, both feeling wronged while dealing with the anxiety of high-stakes basketball. This reporter also joined in, believing the refs were hitting the Blazers with numerous soft whistles in a game that was supposed to carry the trademarked physicality of Postseason Basketball.
So, what did the NBA make of all this controversy, at least in the final two minutes? The answer likely won’t satisfy Suns fans.
According to the NBA’s Last Two Minute report released this afternoon, the refs got every call and non-call correct in the game’s final two minutes. Tidy and clean, all around.
You may ask, What about Jerami Grant’s 3-pointer from the right corner when Green knocked into him with 1:55 left? The L2M report said Grant shifted toward Green to create that contact, so the refs were right not to award Grant the and-1 call.
Or, you may say, What about that non-call after Avdija’s bucket with 37.3 seconds left that had him hopping mad? The report said Green “grazed” Avdija’s left arm on the shot attempt, but not enough to warrant a whistle.
And if you’re a Suns fan, you might bring up Devin Booker’s missed midrange jumper with about 49 seconds left that ended with him tumbling to the floor. Again, the report ruled it a correct non-call, saying Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe maintained legal guarding position on the close contest.
So there you have it. The NBA thinks the Blazers won fair and square in crunch time on Tuesday, not that it would’ve changed anything if the league didn’t. The record should also show that the Suns shot 32 free throws in the game compared to the Blazers’ 23 attempts. Plus, Booker shot the same amount of free throws as Avdija, as both finished with 13 attempts.
The Blazers now shift their focus to the San Antonio Spurs and the first round of the NBA Playoffs, while the Suns have to defeat the winner of Clippers/Warriors on Friday to clinch the 8th seed.
