Not again: NBA admits critical errors by officials late in Kings’ loss to Dallas Mavericks
For the second time in a week, the NBA has acknowledged officials made critical mistakes that might have cost the Kings a big win on the road.
According to the Last Two Minute Report, officials missed two calls during the same sequence late in the fourth quarter of Sacramento’s 114-113 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
The Kings were leading 110-109 with just over a minute remaining when De’Aaron Fox brought the ball up the floor. The Last Two Minute report noted that Jalen Brunson should have been called for a defensive three-second violation, which would have resulted in a technical foul.
“Brunson (DAL) fails to fully clear the lane and is in the paint for longer than three seconds without imminently actively guarding an opponent,” the report stated.
The Kings would have been awarded a free throw and possession of the ball with an opportunity to extend their lead, but the violation was not called. Instead, Fox dribbled out of a double-team and drove against Spencer Dinwiddie, getting into the restricted area before throwing up a shot that missed badly as Fox fell to the floor. Dinwiddie should have been whistled for a foul that would have sent Fox to the line for two free throws, but the foul was not called.
“Dinwiddie (DAL) makes contact with Fox’s (SAC) body as he gathers and enters his upward shooting motion,” the Last Two Minute Report stated. “The contact affects his driving shot attempt.”
Fox tied his career-high with 44 points, but the Kings came up short after Dorian Finney-Smith made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds remaining. The loss left the Kings 4 ½ games behind the New Orleans Pelicans for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference with only 16 games remaining.
This latest bit of misfortune came one week after the NBA admitted officials missed a crucial call on reigning MVP Nikola Jokic in the Kings’ 115-110 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 26. According to the Last Two Minute Report for that game, Jokic should have been called for an illegal screen on Fox with 31.1 seconds remaining. Fox attempted to get around the screen, but a hip nudge from Jokic sent him sprawling to the floor, freeing up Monte Morris for a 3-pointer that put the Nuggets up 113-110.
This is the third time since early January the Kings have been the victim of oversights by officials in the last two minutes of a close game. The NBA previously admitted officials missed a critical call in the Kings’ 108-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 5 in Sacramento. The Last Two Minute Report stated that Hawks guard Delon Wright should have been called for a shooting foul on Fox with 25.7 seconds remaining and the Kings trailing by two.
