The Houston Rockets lost to the San Antonio Spurs in double overtime Tuesday night. On one particular basket, James Harden’s dunk was wrongly ruled a miss despite the ball clearly going through the hoop. In the end, the basket could have been the difference in the game. Now, the Houston Rockets could pursue action — such as an official protest — against the NBA.
Houston Rockets May Seek NBA Action Following Overtime Loss
According to Tim MacMahon, the Rockets are hopeful the NBA will review the loss and either award them the win or opt to replay the final 7:50 of the contest.
… protest might not be necessary but will prepare to file one if the league office does not take action.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 4, 2019
Though the Rockets should have rightfully outscored the Spurs in regulation, there is no way to truly know how the game would have shaped up had the basket counted. Ordering a replay of the final few minutes of the game seems highly unlikely, as does a reversal of the win for the Spurs. The Rockets might be out of luck with this one.
It is, however, outrageous that the officials missed the call and did not reverse the ruling. At the highest level of basketball in the world, the incompetence of the officiating crew is inexcusable. If the Rockets want to pursue action, perhaps their case should be against said officials. Of course, the Rockets have not left a favorable impression on officials in the past, being very vocal about certain referees having a perceived bias against the team.
Mike D'Antoni explains James Harden's bizzare dunk sequence pic.twitter.com/IP21USUxBm
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 4, 2019
If the Rockets wanted a win despite the missed call, though, perhaps they should have held onto a 22-point lead in the second half of the contest. Seeking help from the NBA in the midst of such a blown lead is not only foolish but a horrible move in terms of outside optics. The Rockets can’t stay out of the headlines for negative reasons, but then again, there is no such thing as bad press.
Perhaps the “team that cried wolf” should have saved previous grievances for a time when it really matters.
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