In the Cavaliers’ 146–134 victory over the Timberwolves Saturday, forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin scored four points for Cleveland—and two points for Minnesota.
What?
This wasn’t a situation where, as has happened in baseball, a player was traded in the middle of a suspended game. This was a situation where Tomlin accidentally tipped a jump ball against opposing forward Julius Randle into his own basket. It happened with 3:34 left in the contest, and it trimmed the Cavaliers’ lead from 136–119 to 136–121.
Take a look at the video from Prime Video’s broadcast of the game here. The basket was credited, as per NBA policy, as a one-foot two-pointer to Timberwolves center Naz Reid—the closest player to the goal.
Tomlin for the Cavs scores for the Timberwovles by tapping in the ball during the jump ball 😅 pic.twitter.com/GVFfzqYMdK
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 10, 2026
Tomlin, 25, has emerged as a decent bench piece for Cleveland in a turbulent year. He is averaging 6.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 15.2 minutes of action. On a two-way contract, the Kansas State and Memphis product has even made the second and third starts of his NBA career.
This, however, is a sequence Tomlin will want back. On the other hand, Reid—the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year and a longtime fan favorite—can add two humorous points to his season total.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cavaliers’ Nae’Qwan Tomlin Accidentally Scored a Basketball ‘Own Goal’ .
