NBA tells Mavericks critical call in game with Warriors was blown
By Mike Dyce
There was a controversial no-call at the end of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors. Mavericks guard Monta Ellis put up a floater and Warriors center Jermaine O’Neal went up and blocked the shot. Dirk Nowitzki confronted the referees and wasn’t thrilled with the explanation.
“I think his layup has a chance to get to the rim, and if that’s the case, you can’t just get it out of the air,” Nowitzki said, via Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas. “To me, that’s a goaltend. I asked the referees what happened. The explanation was that the ball was two feet short. If that’s the case, then he can get it out of the air, but where I was from, I think it had a chance to at least hit the rim. That’s a goaltend to me.”
Well it turns out Dirk was right.
Rod Thorn, NBA President, Basketball Operations, issued the following statement (via the Dallas Morning News):
“Upon review at the league office, we have found that a shot taken by Dallas’ Monta Ellis with 16.0 seconds remaining in overtime was on the way down when initially contacted and ruled a block by Golden State’s Jermaine O’Neal, and should have been ruled a goaltend. The exact trajectory of the ball when touched was impossible to ascertain with the naked eye, and the play was not reviewable.”