The Portland Trailblazers suffered an excruciating loss at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night. It was magnified by point guard Damian Lillard's criticisms of the officials for the lack of questionable calls down the stretch.
It appears there was plenty of truth to Damian Lillard's comments. According to ESPN's Tim McMahon, it was confirmed that he was fouled by the Mavs on the last possession.
The NBA’s Last 2 Minute Report confirmed Damian Lillard’s claim that he got fouled twice on the final possession.
Portland simply could not get anything going in the fourth quarter after producing just nine points. Despite their struggles, the Blazers were still in position to potentially secure the victory. Lillard managed to get to the paint before he was met by Maxi Kleber at the rim. Although there was clear contact, the officials did not make any calls.
The report confirmed that officials actually missed two calls on the final possession. Not only should Kleber have been called for the foul, but that guard Dorian Finney-Smith had also made contact with Lillard on the drive. It is safe to say that either call could have had a drastic change in the outcome of the game.
The league's Last 2 Minute report has become a bittersweet tool for fans and players alike. While it is encouraging to know that some calls should or should not have been made, they are still a bit pointless unless officials are held accountable for their performance. The Blazers will have to move on quickly as they get set to square off against the formidable Oklahoma City Thunder.
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