Violation: NBA admits officials made critical error in Kings’ controversial loss to Heat
Kings coach Mike Brown was right. Tyler Herro traveled.
The NBA acknowledged Thursday that officials missed a critical call in the final seconds of Sacramento’s 110-107 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday at FTX Arena.
According to the Last 2 Minute Report, Herro should have been called for traveling on the play that led to his game-winning 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds to play.
“Herro (MIA) ends his dribble by gathering in the air and landing on both feet (although his left lands slightly before his right),” the Last 2 Minute Report states. “When he moves his right foot, he establishes his left foot as his pivot foot, which he then lifts and replaces to the floor before taking his jump shot.”
If the play would have been called correctly, the Kings would have been awarded the ball with the game tied and about 3.7 seconds remaining. Brown voiced his displeasure immediately after the game, opening his postgame news conference by admonishing officials for the error.
“Tyler Herro’s a great player, but he traveled,” Brown said. “He traveled on the last play and I would not be doing my job if I didn’t come up here and protect my guys. My guys fought their behind off for close to 48 minutes, and to (see Herro) pump fake and then sidestep, or hop and then one-two and a shot, and not make that call, to me it’s just unbelievable.”
Brown pleaded his case at the end of the game, but officials felt they had called the play correctly.
“They said it wasn’t a travel,” Brown said. “If that’s not a travel, I don’t know what the definition of a travel is.”
Brown said officials missed “blatant calls” that could have changed the outcome of the game, including a foul on Harrison Barnes.
“It’s right in front of you,” Brown said. “And then to just say, ‘I didn’t see it,’ it’s tough, but then give them calls that are right in front of you. It’s tough to swallow as a coach because, again, you just feel for how hard your guys worked. … It’s just a shame that the game was called the way it was, especially in the fourth quarter.”
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 1:35 PM.
