The Los Angeles Clippers lost on a double-overtime thriller against the Boston Celtics 141-133 sending them reeling before the All-Star break. One major catalyst for the loss is a play that could have won it for the visiting Clippers as early as the first extra period in which Lou Williams managed to drill a three-pointer over Gordon Hayward who was whistled for a foul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcDFckUre_8
Had it counted, the Clippers would have tied it at 127 all with the ensuing freebie putting them ahead by 1 with just a defensive stop to preserve the victory. But the referees considered it a foul before the shot, citing that the Celtics had a foul to give.
During the postgame, Doc Rivers weighed in on the impact of the non-call:
“I thought the one call was huge, the no four-point play,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “I don't know what you have to do — that's a shot. The officials are telling us that they had a foul to give so they were trying to foul. When you see the film, they clearly were not trying to foul. You can see Hayward bring his hands back up as the guy is going up. But you can anticipate that they're going to commit a foul. … That was a big no-call.”
Rivers further added the dueling calls by the officials:
“I just didn't like the fact that the guy on the call called it good. The guy that was right on the call called it good. The two other officials, Scott [Foster] from the other side comes running over. I think the guy on the call should have the say. It is what it is.
The guy the closest [to the ball], you can see him, and he actually does the and-1 [signal].”
The loss was fresh off another controversial game in which the Clippers believed the home team got the calls.
Fortunately for the Clippers, their road trip ends here as they return to Staples Center after the All-Star break to take on the Sacramento Kings followed by the upstart Memphis Grizzlies.
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