In the closing seconds of the Golden State Warriors’ Game 2 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, referee Jason Phillips chose not to call a foul or jump ball as the seconds ticked off. It was a bizarre moment that surely didn’t affect the final result but absolutely spoke to the league’s year-long refereeing crisis, one that led to special meetings over All-Star weekend in hopes to help the tension between officials and players.
Referee decides Warriors-Pelicans Game 2 is over and doesn’t call foul in final seconds.
This was a baffling move.
The Warriors had been sloppy and careless while closing out Tuesday’s game, and the Pelicans had kind of, sort of made it a game in the final seconds. With seconds left in a five-point game, Kevin Durant was stuck in the corner and Rajon Rondo either fouled him or forced a jump ball.
Rather than calling it, Phillips, who has 18 years of NBA officiating experience, just shrugged and let time expire. Rondo seemed to realize that there was nothing he could do to get a foul called in that situation, and stopped trying, instead pleading to Phillips for him to blow his whistle.
It was noticed on Twitter.
With so few seconds remaining, and given the five-point lead, and considering Durant’s superb free throw shooting, this game was practically over. Still, it’s not up to the referees to decide that. As much as everyone was ready to go home, Phillips’ job is to continue officiating the game until the clock hits zero. That’s why referees still call shot clock violations and eight second backcourt violations in the final moments, even if it doesn’t actually matter.
Pelicans fans certainly won’t be pleased with the refereeing — not just that call, but any of it. Here’s one sample, and those numbers do seem staggering.
What a bizarre way for a game to end.
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