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SALT LAKE CITY — The officials got it wrong.
That’s what the NBA said Friday when the league released its Last Two Minute Report for the New Orleans Pelicans' 138-132 overtime win over the Utah Jazz Thursday.
It was a game that, according to the league, shouldn’t have ever gone to an extra session.
With just 0.2 seconds left and the Jazz down a point, Joe Ingles lofted the ball up the rim where a Rudy Gobert-tip in was really Utah’s only hope. But a foul was called on Jaxson Hayes for grabbing Gobert, sending the Utah center to the line where he would make 1-of-2 free throws to send the game into overtime.
But that foul shouldn’t have been called, the league office said in the report.
"During the inbound pass, multiple players engage to establish positions," the report states. "Gobert reaches forward and initiates contact with Hayes, who briefly takes his arm and lets go. There is a lot of contact among all of the players, with no single action that stands out as dislodging or impeding an opponent."
Gobert, though, seemed to disagree with that view of the play.
"I tried to get up and get the ball," said Gobert after the game, "and someone grabbed me. If they hadn’t have grabbed me, there wouldn’t have been a foul."
The report also doubled-down on the replay review that confirmed (or at least let stand) Gobert’s sixth and eliminating foul during overtime when he jumped to contest Brandon Ingram’s drive.
There was minimal contact, but after review, the foul stood.
Crew chief Mark Ayotte said the replays did not show "clear and conclusive evidence to overturn the play." The L2M report kept that same line of reasoning.
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Two big calls helped decide Thursday's game."The replay review of the foul called on Gobert pursuant to (a) coaches challenge was deemed unsuccessful because there was not conclusive evidence to overturn the call based on Gobert being late to the spot and turning when he makes contact with Ingram,” the report states.
The Jazz were outscored 8-0 after Gobert fouled out of the game, leading to the loss.
"At the end of the day, we got a call last time we came here and we didn’t get this one," Donovan Mitchell said. "It’s a matter of what they want to call. I don’t necessarily agree with it."
The report also states the officials missed two traveling calls — one on New Orleans’ E’Twaun Moore and one on Utah’s Tony Bradley — during the final minute of overtime.
"It’s one rebound, one foul, one call, one shot — you have a lot of regrets," Gobert said.
The Jazz will return home to play the Kings on Saturday.
