This will not fail to reinforce the words ofMaking Udokawho launched after the defeat of Rockets among the Nuggets that it was “ the worst refereed match » that he had seen « for a while ».
Adding later that « [les arbitres Natalie Sago et Jamahl Ralls] had no business here and the head referee (Zach Zarba) seemed impressed. We had all kinds of inconsistent decisions, and I’m sure we could have seen more technical fouls. We are not going to adapt to bad refereeing. We’re going to do what we have to do and hope the referees make the right decisions ».
Indeed, the day after this declaration, the NBA recognized that its referees had committed not one, not two, but three refereeing errors, in the last two minutes of extra time between Denver et Houston !
Three errors which mainly benefited the same team, namely the Nuggets, because the Rockets had seen Kevin Durant then Amen Thompson be punished for a foul which should not have been called. When Tim Hardaway Jr. was lucky not to be penalized for a foul that should have been called.
Kevin Durant’s foul, 1 minute 40 from the end, gave Nikola Jokic two free throws, which put Denver at +5, while “KD”‘s counter was clean. Almost immediately, Tim Hardaway Jr. pushed Alperen Sengun without being reprimanded (at 126-122). Then, 47 seconds from the end, Amen Thompson’s foul offered two free throws to Jamal Murray, who brought the gap to +6, while the interception attempt was legal.
On the other hand, the NBA did not return to the real turning point of the match, which occurred at the very end of the fourth quarter, when Jamal Murray was able to snatch overtime, on a free throw obtained after very light contact between Amen Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr, who tripped at the time of the throw-in. Ime Udoka may have contested, the “challenge” did not result in anything and the Nuggets therefore ended up winning.
Unlike Ime Udoka, Kevin Durant was more measured: “ It’s unfortunate, but referees can’t always make the right decision. »
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