The Atlanta Hawks edged the Boston Celtics in Game 1 by just one point, meaning the slightest mistake by a player or official goes under the microscope.
And apparently the officials made four mistakes just in the final two minutes.
The NBA on Sunday released its Last Two Minutes report, which focused on Game 1 of the Hawks and Celtics’ first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. And Boston fans won’t be happy with the findings.
The league said the referees made four incorrect calls in the final two minutes of the Hawks’ 102-101 win, and three of them hurt the Celtics.
The three non-calls that hurt Boston were the lack of a 3-second violation called against Kent Bazemore, and a pair of missed illegal screens against Al Horford. Bazemore’s violation came at the 1:58 mark, and the two non-calls against Horford were with 55.3 seconds remaining (Evan Turner) and 51.1 seconds (Marcus Smart).
The 3-second violation should have resulted in a technical foul and a free throw for the C’s, and Boston was in the bonus during both of the non-calls against Horford.
Atlanta was the victim of one incorrect call, as Kyle Korver should not have been assessed a foul, which resulted in one of two made free throws for Isaiah Thomas, with 1:54 left.
H/t to Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thumbnail photo via John David Mercer/USA TODAY Sports Images
