Portland Trail Blazers File Protest Following Controversial Loss to Oklahoma City Thunder

The Portland Trail Blazers appear to be objecting to their loss on Tuesday. This is reported by Adrian Wojnarowski (ESPN). Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was not given a timeout by the referees, even though he still had several available.

According to the Blazers, Billups clearly signaled for a timeout, before a double dribble against Malcolm Brogdon was whistled. Portland was leading at that point – 109-108 with 15 seconds left. Billups apparently complained so badly that he received two technical fouls and was thrown out of the game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander converted one of two technical free throws to equalize, before Jalen Williams scored the game-winner with two seconds left.

“We have timeouts. Referees are normally prepared for this situation,” Billups then recounted the scene: “I’m at the halfway line and I want a timeout. It’s just frustrating. We play too hard for that. It’s a frustrating play.”

According to the Pool Report interview, Crefchew told Bill Kennedy that the timeout was not called because the referee was focused on the play in front of him. This makes it “difficult” to see or hear Billups. “He has learned to monitor the move until the end,” said Kennedy: “He correctly called the double dribble, then the technical fouls came.”

The Blazers have 48 hours to officially file the protest. In the next five days they also have to provide evidence about the scene that allegedly went wrong. In the entire history of the league, a protest has only been accepted six times, most recently in December 2007.

Back then, Shaquille O’Neal was ejected from the game with six fouls despite only having five. The duel between the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat continued almost four months later from the time of the error, namely with 51 seconds to play in overtime. However, neither team scored, meaning the Hawks won 114-111. O’Neal has since been traded to the Phoenix Suns.

NBA – Thunder vs. Blazers: Die Stats-Leader

2024-01-24 12:40:00
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