NBA officials have deprived the Minnesota Timberwolves and NBA fans at large of a great NBA Western Conference Finals. While the games have been competitive, with three of the first four games decided by four points or fewer, the Mavericks enjoy a lopsided 3-1 series advantage due to referees not making the correct calls.
Two missed calls in Game 2 stand out, although the officiating as a whole has been atrocious and in the Mavericks’ favor.
Game 2 Missed Calls
The Mavericks “beat” the Timberwolves 109 – 108 in Game 2. These missed calls undoubtedly would’ve changed the outcome. The series should be tied 2-2.
1.) Irving’s Uncalled Foul of McDaniels With 47 Seconds to Go
With 47 seconds left in the game, Minnesota had the ball and a two-point lead (108-106). Jaden McDaniels had the ball near the baseline and was clearly fouled by Kyrie Irving. One of the refs is five feet away with a clear site line. Does he make the correct foul call? No. He initially rules that the ball is off Irving. Upon a Dallas-initiated review, that call is overturned, and the ball is awarded to Dallas.
As explained by the broadcast team, a foul cannot be called in that type of review situation. Most NBA fans would agree this is stupid and needs to be addressed in the off-season by the NBA rules committee.
Irving’s uncalled foul of McDaniels could easily have resulted in the Timberwolves going up by four points. The Timberwolves were in the bonus. McDaniels would’ve been shooting free throws.
They gave the ball to Dallas after this while the Wolves were in the bonus. Just gross officiating. https://t.co/pcVUEy7TDw pic.twitter.com/W7YfEcusYg
— MNMuse (@statmusewolves) May 25, 2024
2.) Luka Doncic’s Uncalled Traveling Violation Before Game-winner
Much has been written about how Luka’s crafty moves and step-back shot made Rudy Gobert dance, trying to defend him. But a close examination of Luka’s move shows that Gobert wasn’t the only one shuffling.
Doncic establishes his right foot as his pivot foot while trying to evade Gobert’s defense. He moves his right pivot foot again just before the shot to evade Gobert’s reach and gain better balance. Moving your established pivot foot after you stop your dribble has a name in basketball. It’s called traveling.
If the ref had called as he should have, this traveling violation would have resulted in no shot and the Timberwolves with the ball out of bounds. The Timberwolves would’ve likely won with just four seconds left and a two-point lead.
It was a clear travel by Luka Doncic and it seems a player can break the rules in the final secs of the game because @nba refs don't call travel or any other violation. #NBAPLAYOFFS pic.twitter.com/Q43HykuzEO
— 4l3xx (@alexxsj_rj) May 25, 2024
Why Is Dallas Getting the Officiating Breaks?
This calls for speculation.
Is it:
A.) The NBA’s star system in which established NBA stars enjoy more favorable treatment from the refs? Does this explain why Luka gets a whistle at the hint of a defender’s touch?
B.) NBA officials have caved into Luka Doncic’s constant carping for more fouls to be called in his favor. Is there an NBA player who complains more than the Mavericks’ star?
C.) Is the league interested in the bigger-market Dallas vs. Boston match-up than a Minneapolis vs. Boston series?
D.) NBA referees Tony Brothers and Scott Foster, in particular, seem to have problems making fair calls over the course of a game. Are these the best refs the NBA can field for a big series?
Why are NBA Commentators Not Calling Out Officials?
More speculation.
Is it:
A.) Are NBA analysts infatuated with the Luka-Kyrie story?
B.) Are commentators concerned about the impact of a strong officiating opinion on an NBA TV deal for their network?
C.) Is Chuck not focused because he’s trying too hard to distinguish between cottonwood seeds and real snow?
Closing Thoughts
A series tied at 2-2 would’ve been a just outcome of the first four games. However, NBA referees’s missed calls prevented that. With game 5 in Minneapolis tonight, seeing if the officials can get their act together will be interesting.
By Mike O’Halloran
Founder and Editor, Sports Feel Good Stories
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