Earlier today Nuggets coach Michael Malone suggested that the Nuggets organization would be filing a petition to the NBA regarding the finish in the game against the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night. The ruling on the review of course gave Memphis the ball with .07 seconds left, and resulted in Marc Gasol hitting a game winning shot off of the ensuing lob pass.
Team President Josh Kroenke has released an official statement regarding the protest:
Last night, Coach Malone notified Tim Connelly and myself that the NBA officiating report acknowledged an incorrect call in our November 8th contest against the Memphis Grizzlies with 0.7 seconds remaining in the game and the Nuggets ahead 107-106. The ruling on the floor and subsequent video review resulted in Memphis incorrectly being awarded possession and scoring a game-winning basket on the final play.
There are numerous plays over the course of a game that impact the eventual outcome, including some incorrect foul and judgement calls that affect each team throughout. Officiating a professional game in any sport is an incredibly difficult and highly scrutinized job, and we feel the NBA undoubtedly has the best basketball officials in the world.
Commissioner Silver has done a fantastic job championing league transparency and accuracy for teams and fans alike with the addition of in-game video review and the NBA’s Instant Replay Center. However, in this case, a reviewable non-judgement call regarding possession was not sufficiently reviewed, and considering the time and score, we feel as if the incorrect ruling had a direct impact on the final outcome of the game.
Whether or not the NBA will actually do anything about this situation remains to be seen. The Nuggets have a long shot at getting the final frame of the game replayed, but this petition is definitely worth a gander. Denver is going to be a fringe playoff team this year, so even grabbing one extra win would be huge in that regard.
Keep checking in with Denver Stiffs for more updates.
