NBA admits refs missed two crucial calls late in Kings’ win over Jazz

NBA admits refs missed two crucial calls late in Kings’ win over Jazz originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The NBA announced on Sunday that the Kings benefitted from two missed during the final two minutes of their 121-117 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday at Golden 1 Center.

The first missed call came when Utah had the ball leading 116-115 with 1:23 left in regulation and nine seconds on the shot clock. Kings guard Jordan McLaughlin tripped Jazz center Lauri Markkanen above the arc, causing the 7-footer to stumble out of the play – a foul should have been called.

The Jazz were in the bonus, so had a foul been called, free throws would’ve ensued. Instead, Utah guard Jordan Clarkson rushed a 3-point shot that only hit the backboard with five seconds on the 24-second shot clock, and Sacramento gained possession after guard Kevin Huerter collected the batted-around ball.

“As Markkanen comes around the screen, McLaughlin moves towards his space and lower leg contact occurs, which trips Markkanen and causes him to stumble towards the sideline,” the league said in the last two-minute report.

McLaughlin hit a go-ahead triple on the next possession to give the Kings a 118-116 lead.

The second missed call came on the Jazz’s next possession.

With 50.3 seconds left in regulation and nine seconds on the shot clock, Utah guard Collin Sexton was dribbling above the arc and around a screen from teammate John Collins when Sacramento star De’Aaron Fox poked the ball free from behind for a steal.

However, the NBA ruled that Fox made contact with Sexton’s dribbling hand and prevented him from retaining possession.

“Fox reaches around Sexton and makes direct contact with his left arm, which causes Sexton to lose control of his dribble during his drive around the pick,” the league stated in the last two-minute report.

Ironically, Fox would draw a shooting foul against Sexton after the ball exchanged hands and sink one of two free throws to give the Kings a 119-116 lead.

Sacramento historically hasn’t had the best luck with officials. But the Kings will take what they can, especially after wasting Fox’s team-record, career-high 60-point game on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Sacramento had to win by any means after Fox scored 49, so the team probably isn’t upset by the missed calls.

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