The officiating crew overlooked a crucial moment during the playoff clash between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the NBA disclosed on Monday. With just 33 seconds remaining in Game 4 of the series, Lakers’ star Luka Doncic was fouled but no call was made. At that point, the Lakers were trailing 114-113 when Doncic was unintentionally tripped by Jaden McDaniels of the Timberwolves around the midcourt area. Even though Doncic held onto the ball while landing on the court, the Lakers managed to call a time-out, preventing an 8-second violation.
The incident was one of two missed foul calls in closely contested playoff games on Sunday. In another game involving the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, New York’s Josh Hart was involved in a fouling incident with Detroit’s Tim Hardaway Jr. as time dwindled down on a 3-point attempt in their series’ Game 4. Hardaway did not receive the opportunity for free throws, allowing the Knicks to narrowly escape with a 94-93 victory. After the game, the NBA confirmed that Hardaway was indeed fouled.
According to the NBA’s Last 2-Minute Report regarding the Timberwolves-Lakers matchup, officials noted that “McDaniels … steps forward into Doncic’s … path, initiating illegal foot contact that causes him to lose his balance.” These reports are released after games that have a margin of three points or less in the final moments of the fourth quarter and overtime.
Reflecting on the incident, Doncic affirmed, “I got tripped, for sure.” Had the foul been acknowledged, Doncic might have headed to the free-throw line, offering him the option to tie or even seize the lead for the Lakers. However, the subsequent play resulted in Minnesota intercepting an inbound pass from LeBron James, and Anthony Edwards was sent to the charity stripe, where he secured two crucial free throws with just 10.9 seconds left, pushing the score to 116-113.
This sequence also drew the ire of the Lakers, with James contending that he deserved a turnover call after making contact with Edwards’ hand. The NBA reviewed that sequence in real-time, confirming that James indeed made contact with Edwards’ wrist, constituting a foul.
“That play happens all the time,” stated James post-game. “Hand is part of the ball. That’s what they said. I feel like the hand was a part of that ball.” Ultimately, the Lakers’ Austin Reaves was unable to convert a potential game-tying 3-pointer on the final play, allowing Minnesota to finish with a three-point victory.
Following Sunday’s outcomes, the Knicks and the Timberwolves both established their series leads at 3-1. Looking ahead, the Pistons will face the Knicks in New York for Game 5 of their series on Tuesday, while the Lakers will play host to the Timberwolves for Game 5 on Wednesday.