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With a tight race in the Western Conference for playoff seeding, every game down the stretch is magnified. The Golden State Warriors found themselves in a close game against the San Antonio Spurs that ended with a Harrison Barnes game-winning three-point shot to win the game, 114-111.
That shot put a serious damper in the Warriors' quest to move up in the West standings with the playoffs approaching. But it appears as if the Warriors might have gotten a little help so to speak as the NBA's last two-minute report identified four incorrect calls that benefited the Warriors.
In the final two minutes of the Warriors' game against the Spurs, there were four calls that went against the Spurs that should not have, as per the NBA's report.
The first call came with a little over a minute to go and the game tied at 107. The Warriors' Moses Moody tried to throw a pass out of the corner to Brandin Podziemski, but the ball sailed out of bounds with Moody being the last to touch it. It was ruled Warriors ball.
The second incorrect call came on the ensuing possession. With the Warriors getting the ball back, Draymond Green set a screen on Stephon Castle to get Stephen Curry free. Only Green was still moving during the play, and it should have been an offensive foul. No call was made.
The third call came with about 11 seconds to go and the Spurs and Warriors tied at 109. Castle found Keldon Johnson under the basket and hit him with a pass. Johnson scored while being hit by Green. No call was made. The NBA stated that it should have been a foul on Green, thus sending Johnson to the line for a chance at a three-point play.
The fourth and final incorrect call came on the game-winning play itself. When Barnes caught the inbound, he appeared to shuffle his feet before dribbling, which should have been ruled a travel.
No call was made though, and Barnes knocked down the game-winner. The NBA stated that Barnes' apparent travel was the result of a foul from Green, which would have him at the free-throw line before the shot.
With the Spurs ultimately winning the game, the missed calls didn't matter. What the loss did do was put the Warriors in danger of falling to the play-in. The Warriors are currently in seventh place in the West, a half-game behind the No. 6 Memphis Grizzlies, who played the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday night, with two games remaining.
