When questionable decisions are made by referees at the end of NBA games, sometimes there’s a level of suspense regarding what the next day’s Last Two Minute report from the league will say about those calls or non-calls.
Saturday’s L2M report held no such suspense concerning the goaltending no-call against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, which occurred at the end of the Jazz’s Friday home win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
On Friday night after the game, officials took a somewhat unique step in quickly acknowledging their mistake, which happened as Blazers and former Weber State star Damian Lillard drove to the basket for a chance to tie the game at 116 inside of 10 seconds remaining, and on Saturday, the NBA’s report determined officials should have indeed called goaltending.
“Gobert (UTA) makes contact with Lillard’s (POR) shot attempt after it hits the backboard and still has a chance to score,” the report reads, describing the play.
But as was pointed out far and wide after the game, Portland couldn’t have officials review the play before the contest ended because no call was actually made.
“Goaltending is only a reviewable matter when it is whistled on the floor by officials,” Saturday’s report states.
Aside from that monumental no-call, the league also determined that Royce O’Neale did not foul Lillard on his drive to the basket (it was determined as a correct no-call).
“O’Neale (UTA) jumps vertically and absorbs the contact from Lillard (POR) during his driving shot attempt,” the report reads.
Elsewhere in the report, it was concluded that Jazz forward Joe Ingles fouled Lillard with 1:13 remaining on a 3-point attempt Lillard made, which tied the game at 112, but no call was made. Thusly, a made free throw would have given the Blazers a one-point lead.
There was no mention in the report of a clock stoppage at the 1:43 mark, which occurred after O’Neale made a 3-pointer to put Utah up 112-107. During the clock stoppage, Blazers big man Caleb Swanigan scored to bring Portland within three.
The clock resumed when the Jazz got the ball following Swanigan’s shot.