The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-106 on Saturday night and the Lakers believe a blown call by the officials with replay potentially cost them the game. A potential game-tying three by LeBron James with four seconds left on the clock was called a two. The play went to video review and the ruling was upheld that it was a two and not a three. But it was the right call.
“I mean, it’s obvious it’s a 3,” James said. “My foot was behind the line. You can see the space between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. You can clearly see the wood on the floor, the space in between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. Stevie Wonder can see that, champ.”
Evidence Wasn’t Conclusive
Except the thing is, it wasn’t conclusive. In order for a call to be overturned there has to be conclusive evidence the contrary. The “space between the front” of Bron’s shoe and the three-point line wasn’t clear. The outer sole on the front of his shoes were light in color as is the court. It’s not 100 percent clear if there was space between the light shoe color and the three-point line.
Crew chief Tony Brothers, spoke to a pool reporter after the game, and explained why the two point call was not overturned.
“The play was ruled a 2-point field goal on the floor during live play,” Brothers said. “After video review, there wasn’t clear and conclusive evidence to overturn it from a 2 to a 3, and that’s why it stood as a 2-point field goal.”
Period. End of discussion.
Now, if you want to argue what is conclusive evidence or how that should be judged, great. But evidence is something that has to be interpreted by humans. What might be conclusive to one might not be to another.
The NBA replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey, has seemingly and endless supply of monitors and angles to view plays, given the amount of cameras in an NBA arena. When the officials are on their headsets in the arena they are talking directly to officials in Secaucus and getting their interpretation and camera angles and views.
Wins And Losses Are Rarely About One Call
There wasn’t consensus on space between the tip of Bron’s shoe and the three-point line. Without consensus there can’t be conclusive evidence to overturn, in this case.
The Lakers lost the game and blamed the “bad call.” But even if it was overturned to a three. The Wolves would’ve had the ball with two seconds left, and could’ve easily drawn up a play for a game winner. Or the game could’ve gone to overtime and the Lakers could’ve still lost.
This one call, while at a crucial moment did not cost the Lakers this game. There were 47 other minutes prior that the Lakers could’ve played differently.
It’s fun for fans and even players to lament over “obvious missed calls.” But games are rarely won or lost because of a single call.
