How did the league do in calling Golden State’s win over Orlando?
Thursday night was a thrilling night in the NBA. There were multiple exciting and dramatic games, but none that were must-see TV as the level of the Golden State Warriors contest against the Orlando Magic. The Warriors overcame a superstar performance from Paolo Banchero, thanks in large part to an even bigger superstar performance from one of their own, as Steph Curry dropped in 56 points. It led the Warriors to a 121-115 win to kick off a five-game road trip, and it gave the team seven wins in eight games since swinging a huge trade for forward Jimmy Butler III.
But while we all know that the game was thrilling, it’s always worth wondering if it was called accurately. And because it qualified for the NBA’s Last 2 Minute Report, we’re able to get at least part of an answer.
And that answer is a “yes.” After combing through multiple camera angles of the action, the NBA found 14 moments in the final two minutes of the game that were worth closer examination. And it determined that all 14 plays were either correctly called or correctly non-called.
That certainly checks out with the eye test. While the game was dramatic, exciting, and tense, at no point in the final few minutes did it feel like there was any controversy. The whistles were called accurately, and swallowed just as accurately.
It’s certainly always a nice thing when a close game comes to a close with no controversy.