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Come Fan with UsTuesday, August 4, 2026

The final 6 seconds of Nets vs. Celtics were whistle-less chaos

And DeMarre Carroll got hurt.

Boston Celtics v Brooklyn Nets
Boston Celtics v Brooklyn Nets
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

The Celtics and Nets went down to the wire on Saturday night, and Boston’s rookie Jayson Tatum saved the day with a dunk and then the game-deciding three-pointer in the final minute and 16 seconds of the game. The Celtics won, 87-85, but poor officiating spoiled what could have an overtime thriller.

The final six seconds were chaotic, with no referee intervention.

Here’s the play:

At least four fouls could have been called on this play.

On the first shot attempt, it looked like that Semi Ojeleye pushed Rondae Hollis-Jefferson off-balance. At the very least, his hand-checks caused a disturbance.

Then, Kyrie Irving pushed Joe Harris in the back on the rebound attempt. In the background, Marcus Smart and Spencer Dinwiddie get tangled up in which it looks like the Nets point guard went over Smart’s back.

Hollis-Jefferson was then clipped across the head on his offensive rebound by Ojeleye before he missed the would-be game-tying shot.

That’s a tough break for Brooklyn, who played well against one of the East’s best teams.

But things got worse for the Nets aside from the foul non-calls.

While all of the chaos was going on in the final six ticks, DeMarre Carroll went down holding his knee, and it looks like the injury may serious. He didn’t put any pressure on his right leg immediately afterwards, remaining on the ground even after the buzzer. He had to be helped off the court.

It was a tough night at Barclays.

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