With two-and-a-half minutes left in the Chicago Bulls' Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks, Derrick Rose pump-faked a three-pointer with the Bulls down by six. Jamal Crawford bit on the shot, jumping into Rose, who then rose for a shot. Referee Bennett Salvatore's whistle blew. Three free throws for Rose, right?
Referee Admits Derrick Rose Should Have Gotten Three Free Throws Late In Bulls’ Loss To Hawks
Salvatore said that he blew his whistle inadvertently, and ordered a jump ball, which Atlanta won. The Hawks converted a bucket, leaving the Bulls down eight with two minutes to go. They didn’t catch up, and video replay showed that Rose should have been awarded free throws. Salvatore admitted as much after the game. From NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner:
“I blew my whistle. I was positive it was not a foul,” the veteran ref told a pool reporter. “I blew my whistle by accident, which is an inadvertent whistle. That’s why I disallowed it.
“Having watched the replay, it was a foul. I made a mistake. I was wrong.”
Those free throws could have dropped the Bulls' deficit to three. But Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and Rose himself expressed understanding at the mistake, and everyone lived happily ever after.
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