The NBA is admitting to their second mistake on a game-winning shot in as many days.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle defeated the Phoenix Suns on Sunday with a three-pointer at the buzzer to give his team the 120-117 win. Randle created space from Suns defender Josh Okogie, resulting in a wide-open look that he sank. Despite Phoenix players clamoring for an offensive foul, no whistle was blown, and Randle’s shot won the game.
JULIUS RANDLE FOR THE WIN!!!! pic.twitter.com/g9HBdXoT1N
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 17, 2024
In the last two-minute report for the game released on Monday, the NBA admitted that there was indeed a mistake on Randle’s game-winner … but not from the push-off on Okogie. While the league noted that there was no illegal contact by Randle, they said that he should have been called for traveling about a second-and-a-half before that.
When Randle received the inbounds pass from his teammate Joe Ingles, he shuffled his feet. The NBA ruled that Randle had “[lifted] his pivot foot prior to releasing his dribble” and thus should have been whistled for a travel.
Here is an angle that shows the missed traveling violation.
Step-back… falling away… GAME. #TissotBuzzerBeater https://t.co/djoEUmDll2 pic.twitter.com/Qr9FmDNMhc
— NBA (@NBA) November 17, 2024
Calling that travel would have given the Suns the ball back with a little over two seconds remaining on the clock. Even if Phoenix was not able to score on their ensuing possession, the game would have gone into overtime (instead of Minnesota walking away with the buzzer-beating win).
That is eerily similar to another mistake that the NBA referees made in Saturday’s game between the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors. In that contest, Celtics star Jayson Tatum won the game on a buzzer-beating three of his own, which the NBA also subsequently ruled that he should have been called for traveling on.
