The ending of the Kings' 102-99 win over the Raptors on Sunday was full of drama.
And the officiating crew got it all right, the NBA announced Monday afternoon in their Last Two Minute Report.
The NBA issued this comment in regards to the final play:
"The on-court referees noticed a clock malfunction on the inbounds play and correctly triggered an instant replay. After communicating with the Replay Center, it was determined that the clock should have started when Cousins (SAC) tips the ball and run to 0:00.00 before Ross’ (TOR) shot was released."
Raptors forward Terrence Ross appeared to hit a game-tying 3-pointer as time expired. But upon further review, Kings center DeMarcus Cousins tip the ball as the ball was being inbounded. The game clock did not start when Cousins touched the ball, but rather, when Ross caught the ball.
Cousins alerted the officials that he touched the ball, and the crew initiated a replay review with the Replay Center in New York.
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After a lengthy review, which included the play being watched countless times both in Sacramento and at the replay center, official Mike Callahan waived off the shot, giving the Kings the win.
According to the official transcript from Callahan to a pool reporter following the game, Cousins did indeed tip the ball, and the clock should have started .1 of a second earlier than it did. After watching the play countless times, the officials were able to determine that Ross took exactly 2.5 seconds to release the ball.
“I knew I tipped it, I knew he didn’t get it off in time, I knew it didn’t start on time, I also knew we were going to overtime,” center DeMarcus Cousins said from his locker stall after the game. “That’s just usually how things work for us, meaning the Kings.”
