The top of Wednesday evening’s matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers was rife with drama, replay evaluations and excellent performs by each groups. Ultimately, the Clippers got here away with a 108-107 win, however it definitely didn’t come with out controversy.
On the ultimate play of the sport, along with his workforce trailing by a degree, 76ers ahead Kelly Oubre Jr. drove towards the basket and tried a shot whereas colliding with Clippers ahead Paul George. The referees didn’t blow the whistle, and time expired to present the Clippers the victory.
Oubre and 76ers coach Nick Nurse have been heated after the play, as each have been separated from the officers by teammates. Oubre, who completed with 17 factors and 11 rebounds within the loss, had some significantly alternative NSFW phrases for the referees (lip readers, go to work), which have since gone viral in NBA social media circles.
“Before everything, warmth of the second, that is an intense basketball recreation, in fact. We’re not excellent, the refs aren’t excellent,” Oubre stated after the sport of his conduct. “I wish to apologize for simply dropping my cool, as a result of that is one thing I attempt to work on every day, and attempt to symbolize God in the easiest way I presumably can, and that wasn’t it. I simply express regret.
“… On the finish of the day it wasn’t cool, so I will take no matter penalties include that and have to maneuver on. However I’ve obtained to be higher, in a way.”
To make issues worse for Philadelphia followers, the referees admitted after the sport that Oubre’s drive ought to have resulted in a foul, which might have despatched him to the free throw line with an opportunity to take the lead with lower than a second remaining.
“On the final play on the ground, in actual time the crew interpreted that play because the defender leaping vertically,” crew chief Kevin Scott stated within the postgame pool report. “Nonetheless, in post-game video overview we did observe some slight drift to his left by the defender George, and a foul ought to have been dominated.”
There are numerous missed calls in any basketball recreation, however people who happen on performs that would determine the sport are at all times topic to probably the most scrutiny. Credit score to the referees for acknowledging their mistake, however it does not make the loss go down any simpler for the Sixers, who’re combating to remain out of play-in place within the Jap Convention.
Philadelphia did obtain some excellent news earlier than the sport, nonetheless, as Nurse stated that there is a “superb probability” that celebrity middle Joel Embiid will return from his left knee harm earlier than the postseason begins. With the large man again within the fold, the 76ers will probably be a harmful playoff opponent, irrespective of the place they end.
