NBA's two-minute report confirms correct delay of game call on Timberwolves

The league's review of Friday's game said officials made the correct call in assessing a delay of game that resulted in a technical

December 7, 2019 at 6:51PM
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder (17) celebrates with Luguentz Dort, left, after Schroder hit a basket to force overtime
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder (17) celebrates with Luguentz Dort, left, after Schroder hit a basket to force overtime (Brian Stensaas — Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The league office review is in, and the league has affirmed that officials made the correct call in assessing a delay of game to the Timberwolves late in the fourth quarter of their 139-127 overtime loss to the Thunder.
With Karl-Anthony Towns at the foul line and 1.1 seconds remaining in the fourth, Towns missed the first of two shots. After that, Wolves forward Jordan Bell entered the game with his jersey untucked. Thunder guard Chris Paul could be heard on audio pointing that out to official Scott Foster, who then called the infraction. It was the Wolves' second delay of game warning, which resulted in a technical free throw that Danilo Gallinari hit.
In its comment on the play, the league said, "Bell enters the game with his jersey untucked and a delay of game is correctly called."
After Gallinari's free throw pulled the Thunder within one, Towns made the next free throw when he meant to miss it. The Thunder were out of timeouts and the Wolves wanted to make them scramble for the rebound before getting a shot off. But Towns' make prevented that, and the Thunder converted when Steven Adams' long Hail Mary pass connected with Dennis Schroder, who hit the tying layup. The stunned Wolves could not regroup in overtime.
On Schroder's layup, there was a lot of contact between him and Wolves guard Jeff Teague. But the league said officials made the right judgment in not calling a foul.
"Schroder does not push off Teague and affect his ability to defend the pass," the report said.
When asked about that play after the game, coach Ryan Saunders said, "No comment."
The league said there were only two incorrect calls in the final two minutes of regulation -- both against the Wolves. One was for a foul on Towns, the other for a goaltend Towns committed that went uncalled on a Schroder shot.

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about the writer

Chris Hine

Sports reporter

Chris Hine is the Timberwolves reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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