Kings hurt by two missed calls in late collapse vs. Thunder
Kings hurt by two missed calls in late collapse vs. Thunder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in yet another late collapse, but officiating down the final stretch of Tuesday's game didn't help their chances.
Officials missed two crucial calls that affected the Kings in the final 85 seconds of regulation, as pointed out Wednesday in the NBA's Last Two Minute Report.
The first came with 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter after Thunder big man Chet Holmgren missed his second free throw. Players from both teams battled for the board before the ball went out of bounds near De'Aaron Fox, Keon Ellis, Holmgren and Luguentz Dort.
Referees ultimately ruled Ellis last touched the ball, giving Oklahoma City possession. But the L2MR stated the ball actually was last touched by Holmgren, and Sacramento should have been awarded the ball.
Instead, the incorrect call allowed Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to knock down a 13-foot jump shot and extend their lead to three.
But wait, there's more. That exact play also should have never counted.
The report also indicated that Gilgeous-Alexander should have been called for a traveling violation before the shot, and the score should have remained 106-105 with the Kings in control of the ball.
Instead, the consecutive incorrect calls prevented either of those things from happening, and what should have been a 1-point game became a 3-point game in a matter of seconds.
Of course, the Kings won't play the blame game after this loss, granted they were up by as much as 20 points in the contest. But sloppy play down the stretch led to another second-half meltdown for Sacramento -- a theme the team has been all too familiar with this season.
Given how much Kings coach Mike Brown has emphasized the importance of every single one of these games to close the regular season, Sacramento has no one but itself to blame for another irresponsible loss.
