An overly eager whistle may have been the difference in Sunday’s NBA Summer League championship game.
Cameron Boozer’s Memphis Grizzlies trailed the Golden State Warriors 91-90 with just over 30 seconds left at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The No. 3 overall pick spun past rival Yaxel Lendeborg to get to the rim, but botched what should have been the go-ahead layup.
Lendeborg secured the rebound but got trapped along the baseline. Boozer stripped him of the ball and went up for the easy layup. But referees ruled that the Warriors had called a timeout before the turnover.
Cameron Boozer drives on Yaxel Lendeborg, takes the shot, the ball goes in and out, and Yaxel Lendeborg holds the ball under his own rim, Boozer strips him and scores, but the Warriors called a timeout just beforehand (with a replay) pic.twitter.com/283Cb0edPt
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 20, 2026
However, a closer inspection of the play shows Boozer having already taken the ball away when the sideline referee granted Golden State a timeout. The official appeared to only look at Warriors head coach Khalid Robinson well after Lendeborg had lost possession.
incredible angle of boozer laying the ball in while the ref grants the warriors a timeout pic.twitter.com/GC4vlYIDdS
— Fastbreak Breakfast (@fastbreakbreak) July 20, 2026
Boozer got one more chance at a go-ahead basket a possession later. He confidently stepped into a top-of-the-key three but hit the side of the rim.
CAM BOOZER FOR THE SUMMER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cN8W5igvxf
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) July 20, 2026
The Warriors held on for a 94-90 victory to become just the second franchise ever to win two NBA Summer League championships. Lendeborg was named MVP of the tournament. He finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and a pair of steals on 9/18 shooting.
Boozer tallied 19 points and 8 rebounds, but went 1/5 from the field in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s title game.
