NBA says three calls hurt Heat in overtime loss at Washington
The NBA said three plays were officiated incorrectly in overtime of Tuesday’s MiamiWashington game, all aiding the Wizards in what became their four-point victory.
The National Basketball Referees Association, however, disagreed with the league’s assessment in one of those situations.
The league said a five-second inbounding violation should have been called against Washington with 12.2 seconds left in overtime, after determining that Markieff Morris did not release the basketball in time. Replays showed Morris held the ball for more than five seconds, which meant Miami should have been given possession in what was then a one-point game. But the NBRA said the officiating crew was right. “We are taught to count to five and make sure the ball has not been released before calling a violation,” the NBRA wrote on Twitter. “The official in this game got to five and the ball was released. It was the correct decision.” The NBA disagreed, calling it an incorrect non-call. “Morris (did) not release the inbound pass within five seconds,” the league wrote in its Last Two Minute Report, which analyses the calls and noncalls made in the last two minutes of games within three points at any time in the fourth quarter or an overtime period.
The other two situations also involved Morris, and both helped Washington.
The 117-113 loss knocked Miami down one spot to No. 8 in the Eastern Conference standings, and moved Washington three games ahead of the Heat.