In its Last Two Minute report, the NBA acknowledged a critical missed call late in Wednesday’s game between Houston and Los Angeles. The Lakers ultimately held off the Rockets, 124-122 (recap).
After two free throws by Kelly Olynyk, the Rockets led 122-121 in the closing seconds. In the ensuing sequence, Los Angeles guard Talen Horton-Tucker tried to drive into the paint, but he couldn’t shake Jae’Sean Tate. After picking up his dribble, Horton-Tucker lifted his pivot foot in a bid to create separation, but was not whistled for a violation. Houston head coach Stephen Silas was visibly agitated on the sideline.
In the L2M report, the league office confirmed that Horton-Tucker “moves his pivot foot after picking up his dribble in the lane,” citing it as an incorrect no-call. If called correctly, it would have been Houston’s ball with a one-point lead and 16.4 seconds left, effectively forcing the Lakers to foul the Rockets and send them to the line for free throws.
This is so bad. Right in front of the ref too. Make sure you see this one @OfficialNBARefs @Thortontucker pic.twitter.com/n8O3eoGUwC
— Rocketgirl (@00rocketgirl) May 13, 2021
Instead, the Lakers were able to effectively reset their possession by getting the ball to Kyle Kuzma, who drove in for the winning bucket.
The officiating report also found two earlier errors, one in favor of each team. With 1:27 left, the league says Tate should have been called for a shooting foul against Kuzma. (Tate was not called for a foul.) However, with 1:07 left, the NBA writes that Olynyk should not have been called for a foul against Kuzma because he “makes contact with the ball and the part of Kuzma’s hand that is on the ball, and dislodges it away before any incidental contact occurs.” (Olynyk was called for a foul.)
Wednesday’s win keeps the Lakers (40-30), who are currently No. 7 in the Western Conference standings, alive in their bid to make the playoffs without having to go through the play-in tournament. For the Rockets (16-54), who have the league’s worst record, it’s yet another frustrating defeat in a 2020-21 season they would like to forget.
In its L2M report, @NBAOfficial confirms what we all saw: Talen Horton-Tucker traveled when the Lakers were down 1 in the closing seconds. Should have been #Rockets ball with 16 seconds left and a 1-point lead. pic.twitter.com/nex8iEIAdn
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) May 13, 2021
