Jewell Loyd had just .8 seconds left in the game to get a shot off to try to lift the Seattle Storm over the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night. And she nailed it, officially. But her heroics weren’t without a little controversy.
The Storm trailed the Sparks, 89-87, when Loyd in the left corner got a nearly parallel inbound from Sue Bird. With almost no time left on the clock, Loyd immediately turned toward the basket and launched what appeared to be a perfect 3-point buzzer-beater for the win.
From Bird to Loyd to the basket, it all seemed like one fluid, momentous play, and Loyd — who finished with a team-high 25 points — got her shot off with at least .4 seconds left on the clock. So that’s not the issue following the Storm’s 90-89 victory.
👀 @jewellloyd CALLED GAME 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ce6uwb9N2p
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 5, 2020
“For us, this was a playoff game,” Loyd said. “You have two really good teams trying to get into a rhythm before going into playoffs. You know, every time we play LA it’s always a really good game. It’s what you want to see. You want to see good competition throughout the game. You don’t want to see constant blowouts, you don’t want to see no effort. Both teams were playing really hard, and that’s what you watch sports for. All that excitement all the way down to the buzzer.”
It’s an incredible shot, but was Loyd standing out of bounds? Officials reviewed the shot and said her feet were in bounds, but plenty of WNBA fans aren’t so convinced.
The replay makes it look like at least one of Loyd’s heels was on the line, but the super slow-motion replay then looks like she was on the ball of her foot and her heel actually might not have been planted out of bounds.
Refs rule @jewellloyd was in bounds shot counts. Game winner. I really am not sure 👀👀👀👀👀 That was a fantastic game. @wnba
@seattlestorm @LASparks pic.twitter.com/ERbKJyChCh— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) September 5, 2020
Honestly, it’s really difficult to tell without unlimited angles and replays. It seems like there are multiple valid arguments to be made about precisely where Loyd’s foot was or wasn’t on that game-winning shot.
But unfortunately for anyone rooting against the now-league-leading Storm — they’re 14-3 while the Sparks and Las Vegas Aces are 13-4 — officials ruled Loyd was in bounds and the shot was good.
Still, not everyone is convinced.
Jewel Lloyd stepped out of bounds!! This shot should have been overruled, come on! Stop ruining great competition, this game was one for the ages! @wnba @LASparks @seattlestorm pic.twitter.com/xFtTBHqAdX
— Anna Petrakova (@PetrARuLove) September 5, 2020
Everyone saw that Jewel Lloyd was out of bounds but the refs… @LASparks should of won tonight. Last bucket for Seattle shouldn’t have counted. That call wasn’t fair to the Sparks
— 🙈 Erin Lanette (@ErinLanette) September 5, 2020
The ref’s looked at it but it was inconclusive. Can’t tell from the main replay. Because the camera was at an angle. Need to have a camera overhead on the sidelines. Can’t overturn this. The shot was super quick and a buzzer beater. Gold Mamba! pic.twitter.com/4zkDirk4L3
— @whatisthismadnezz (@whatisthismadn1) September 5, 2020
I thought so too but I like Seattle 🤫
— slowbro (@rickdryden) September 5, 2020
@LASparks were robbed by that last call. The @seattlestorm played well but Jewel Lloyd clearly stepped on the line (out of bounds). MISSED CALL. But the Sparks will learn and get better for the next! We coming!!!
— jw.garza (@JwGarza) September 5, 2020
She was on the line how they can do this?????
— Filip Cvetinovic (@cvetinovic_f) September 5, 2020
Was out of bounds! On the line when the shot was played. I see it why didn’t the refs!
— Samuel John Parker (@samuelparker_91) September 5, 2020
I'm pretty sure she was out. But, not an objective witness. 😉
— 💔🕯🗽Cynnbad🗽 (@mmaniac90) September 5, 2020
That was tight and from what I see I think she’s on the line pic.twitter.com/2zuk7tIpJ0
— Kyla (@Kyla26077854) September 5, 2020
