NBA referees admit they made a mistake by not counting a James Harden dunk
When a basketball team loses in overtime, it’s natural to look back at a play or two that may have changed the outcome of the game.
In the case of the Rockets’ 135-133 double overtime loss Tuesday night to the San Antonio Spurs, it was easy to spot what cost Houston: a mistake by the NBA referees.
James Harden, who finished with 50 points, had a dunk ruled no good by officials during regulation.
Here is the play:
When interviewed by a pool reporter after the game, crew chief James Capers admitted the referees got it wrong.
“When the play happened Harden goes in for a dunk and then the ball appears to us to pop back up thought the net,” Capers said. “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.”
The NBA has replay available, but the officials didn’t look at the play. Capers addressed that as well.
“It is a reviewable matter, but you have a window of 30 seconds to challenge the play during that timeout that he had and while they were protesting the call, trying to get clarification of it, the window passed so therefore it elapsed and they were not able to do it,” Capers said.
