NBA review sides with Heat over Jazz
Utah coach furious at officials over non-call, clock management.
PORTLAND, ORE. — The NBA does not agree with the Utah Jazz.
The league released its L ast Two Minute Report on the Heat’s 111-110 victory Thursday over the Jazz and had no issues with the clock management by the game’s referees and said the Heat were victimized by a bad non-call in the final second, not Utah, as Jazz coaches and players claimed.
The league found issues with other earlier non-calls that went against each side.
Jazz coach Quin Snyder had to be restrained by his assistants as he chased down official Ed Malloy after Gordon Hayward’s potential winner with one second to play bounced off the rim.
The Jazz believed they should have had more than 3.9 seconds on its last possession, which was the time on the clock when Miami lost the ball and Utah called a 20-second time out. Hayward’s shot was rebounded by Utah’s Rudy Gobert, who scored on the put-back but after the buzzer sounded. The NBA’s report on the final two minutes confirmed that the shot was late.
The report, though, did not mention an issue with the clock and reviewed three other plays between 3.9 and 2.5 seconds and found no problems.
The Jazz also complained that Utah’s Joe Johnson was fouled by Miami’s Tyler Johnson away from the ball after Hayward released his shot. Not only did the league disagree, but it said it was Joe Johnson who held Tyler Johnson.
The league’s explanation: Johnson (UTA) clamped the arm of Johnson (MIA) into his own body during rebounding.
On two earlier incorrect non-calls: The review shows Gobert in the paint for longer than 3 seconds with 1:28 remaining and Heat guard Goran Dragic moved his pivot foot with 45.1 seconds to play.
No call was made on either play.
Gobert was the most outspoken on Twitter. He sent out the following tweet following the game:
“It still amazes me that those kind of things happen in the best league in the world...”
Snyder, though, was careful with his words when he spoke to local reporters after the game. “There was a number of things late in the game that were a little bit confusing,” he said. “We got a shot. Rudy got a put-back that was after the buzzer.”
The controversies were not addressed in the Heat locker room because when reporters were speaking to coach Erik Spoelstra and the players, nobody knew there was an issue.
The NBA notes it could change its view of any of the calls after further review.
More injuries: Forward Luke Babbitt gingerly walked to the locker room during the first quarter Thursday night and never returned. He was diagnosed with a right hip-flexor strain, an injury Spoelstra characterized as similar to the one that will keep guard Dion Waiters out of the lineup for at least two weeks. Waiters has a torn groin muscle.
The Heat (7-12) started this three-game trip by leaving Waiters and forward Justise Winslow (wrist) behind to continue treatment. Josh Richardson was sent home Thursday after sitting out Wedne s d ay ’s v i c t o r y i n Denver when his sprained right ankle did not improve. Forward Derrick Williams was not available Thursday because of back spasms.
“We’re falling down like dominoes,” Dragic said.