NBA Admits Officials Made Wrong Call at End of Hawks' Loss to Celtics in Game 6

NBA Admits Officials Made Wrong Call at End of Hawks’ Loss to Celtics in Game 6

by Ricky Doyle on Sat, May 12, 2012 at 9:45AM

Sorry, Hawks fans. Your team got screwed.

OK, the outcome of Thursday's Game 6 may not have been significantly altered by the decision, but the NBA has admitted that the officials made an incorrect call on a late foul.

With 3.1 seconds left in the game, the Celtics' Marquis Daniels held the Hawks' Al Horford as Atlanta was inbounding the ball while trailing 81-79. One of the officials, Eric Lewis, called a foul on Daniels, but he ruled that it came after Marvin Williams had released the ball on the inbounds pass. That meant it was just a common foul and Atlanta had to throw it in again. However, replays show Lewis made the incorrect call.

The foul actually occurred before Williams released the ball, meaning it should have been treated as an away-from-the-play foul. In that case, the Hawks should have been awarded one free throw, in addition to retaining possession of the ball.

Oh well.

The play can be seen below.

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