The Portland Trail Blazers have filed a complaint with the NBA to challenge their 111-109 loss Tuesday night at the Oklahoma City Thunder, an NBA source confirmed to The Oregonian/OregonLive.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news.
The Blazers are challenging the game because coach Chauncey Billups was denied a timeout with under 20 seconds remaining and his team up 109-108 while guard Malcolm Brogdon was being trapped.
The play led to Brogdon being called for a double dribble. Billups received two technical fouls and was ejected after arguing with officials about not receiving the requested timeout.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied the game by making one of two free throws. Then forward Jalen Williams hit the game-winning jumper with 2.0 seconds remaining.
“I’m at halfcourt trying to call a timeout,” Billups told reporters after the game. “It’s just a frustrating play. My guys played too hard for that. It’s a frustrating play.”
A pool reporter at the game interviewed officials crew chief Bill Kennedy after the game. He essentially said that the official did not hear or see Billups when he called for a timeout.
The referee, he said, was “refereeing the double team that was right in front of him, which makes it difficult for number one to hear and number two to see a coach request a timeout behind him. He is taught to referee the play until completion, which a double dribble happens, and he correctly calls the double dribble and then pursuant (to that) the technical fouls come forward.”
FOR MORE ON THE GAME
- Chauncey Billups, Trail Blazers leave Oklahoma City frustrated following ignored timeout request
- Late timeout ignored, Chauncey Billups ejected during Trail Blazers’ 111-109 loss at Oklahoma City Thunder
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— Aaron Fentress | [email protected] | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)
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