Some of the biggest games in NBA history have been decided by missed calls by referees. Here's a look at 20 of the worst missed calls of all time.
Credit: Fadeaway World
In recent days, NBA referees have come under heavy fire for their clearly botched missed call on LeBron James late in the Lakers' weekend contest against the Boston Celtics. Everyone in the arena knew that James was fouled on his potential game-winning layup, except for the referees that is. The missed call on James is just one of many errors that the refs have missed this season including three others in close games that involved the Lakers. What can be done? The element of human error has always existed in basketball but the lack of accountability is the issue that has fans riled up.
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This is not the first nor will it be the last time that referees have missed a crucial call that decides games. There have been numerous instances over the last 76 years of the NBA’s existence in which referees are either too trigger-happy with their whistles or they keep them in their pockets. Today, the goal is to cover some of these calls/no calls extensively to cover some of the even more blatant examples of referee blunders than LeBron experienced this past weekend. I understand that referees are human beings that make mistakes but some of these calls make you wonder if the Tim Donaghy era ever really ended.
These are the 20 worst missed calls in NBA history.
20. Amir Johnson Double Dribble
Have you ever seen a player rat himself out on a missed call from the referee? Well, that’s pretty much what Amir Johnson did in a 2012 contest against the Portland Trail Blazers as a member of the Toronto Raptors. The call in question was as blatant as double dribbles get. Johnson receives the ball at the top of the key in what seems like a normal possession. He then takes one dribble, picks it up, fakes a jumper, and drives to the basket for an easy floater. Pretty simple, right?
Wrong. Johnson can be seen laughing his way back down the court as the announcers are baffled a call wasn’t made. Amid Johnson’s laughter is disbelief on the face of Portland coach Terry Stotts as to how in the world the referees missed the call. Nevertheless, the blatant violation was not called, the two points counted, and Amir Johnson would be featured on the infamous “Shaqtin A Fool” later that week.
19. Rockets Get Screwed In Golden State
The rivalry between the Rockets and Warriors during the 2010s was one that was adored by NBA fans everywhere. In 2019, the two teams met in the second round of the playoffs for what was sure to be a smackdown of a series. In Game One however, the referees were awful for most of the night for both teams after ticky-tack fouls and missed calls were abundant over the first 36 minutes of action.
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Late in the fourth quarter, the Rockets trailed by three with just 10 seconds remaining. James Harden would attempt one of his step-back threes when significant contact was made by Warriors forward Draymond Green on the shot attempt. No call was made. Chris Paul would grab the offensive rebound and attempt to get back to the three-point line only to be run over by Klay Thompson on the play. Paul and Harden went berserk as Paul would be ejected from the game and the Warriors hung on for victory in Game One and won the series in six games to boot.
18. Tim Duncan Ejected For Laughing
Usually, when NBA starters are taking a breather on the bench, they are taking in some water and analyzing the game from their spot on the sidelines in order to make adjustments when they get called back in. In this case, Tim Duncan, one of the most mild-mannered NBA players ever, was doing just that when he let out a laugh, presumably at one of his teammates. Referee Joey Crawford didn’t like that and having already given Duncan one other technical foul earlier in the game, ejected him from the bench.
Duncan and the rest of the Spurs were in disbelief as the free was clearly targeting Duncan for most of the contest. Duncan claimed that Crawford challenged him to a fight as a result. Crawford said Duncan used an expletive directed his way. Either way, the result was Duncan was fined $25,000 and Crawford was fined $100,000 and suspended for the rest of the season. Seems like the NBA knew who was in the right and who was in the wrong this time.
17. Scottie Pippen Gets Called For A Phantom Foul In MSG
The year was 1994 and the Chicago Bulls headed into Madison Square Garden for a series with the Knicks in the second round of the playoffs. There were just 2.1 seconds left on the clock in Game Five and the Knicks were trailing by just one point. The Knicks’ Hubert Davis received the inbounds pass and launched a wide-open, slightly contested jumper. The ball left his hands and he received a slight bump from Scottie Pippen after the fact.
Referee Hue Hollins would blow the whistle and award two free throws to Davis as a result. Pippen and Bulls coach Phil Jackson were irate at the call considering the whole “landing area” foul wasn't a rule yet. Davis would knock down both free throws and the game would be sealed in the Knicks’ favor. The Knicks would eventually win the series in seven games marking the first time in four seasons that the Bulls would not be in the NBA Finals.
16. Dion Waiters Elbows Manu Ginobili On Inbounds Play
The 2016 NBA Playoffs are some of the most memorable playoffs in NBA history. During the Western Conference Second Round, the Spurs were taking on the Thunder. In Game Two, and 13.5 seconds left on the clock, Oklahoma City was granted possession on the sideline for an inbound pass. Dion Waiters, the inbounder, would throw an obvious elbow to Manu Ginobili’s chest in order to gain space for a pass to be made.
The referees failed to blow the whistle and the Thunder would go on to win the game, 98-97. Now, I am all for letting the players play during the playoffs but an obvious and semi-violent elbow? It has to be called. Calling the foul would have given the Spurs a legitimate shot at victory. Instead, the Thunder would win the game and the series in six games to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
15. The Charles Smith Game
Once again we come to a moment during a playoff matchup between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks. This time, it would be during Game Five of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals. With the Knicks trailing by one point late, Charles Smith received the ball under the basket and went up for a shot. Clearly being hacked, the referees kept their whistles put away as Smith proceeded to have history repeat itself four times in one possession.
As a result of the failed foul calls, the Bulls came down the floor and B.J. Armstrong put the game away on the next possession. The Bulls would go on to win the series in six games and would end up being NBA champions over the Phoenix Suns just a couple of weeks later. This moment still haunts Knicks fans but what should haunt them, even more, is the fact the team missed 15 free throws in total for Game Five.
14. Larry Johnson’s Four-Point Play
The Knicks have also been the beneficiary of some phantom calls in their playoff history. In Game Three of the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacer, the Knicks found themselves down three with just 5.7 seconds left. Larry Johnson received the ball on the perimeter and proceeded to launch the potential game-winning shot. The shot went in as MSG erupted and the whistle blew for a potential four-point play for Johnson as a foul was called on Antonio Davis.
Every replay shows that the call was missed as Davis, nor any other Pacers player made contact with Johnson on the shot. The Knicks would come away with the victory and would end up representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. The Knicks would go on to lose in the NBA Finals to the Spurs and one of their most iconic moments in franchise history is forever shrouded in controversy.
13. Robert Horry Hipchecks Steve Nash
The San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns were staples of the Western Conference playoffs during the height of basketball in the 2000s. As the Suns were leading, frustration crept in for the Spurs as Robert Horry made a point to use his body and drive Suns point guard and MVP Steve Nash into the scorer's table, causing a massive connection between Nash’s body and the side table.
The issue was not Horry as he would be suspended for two games and fined. Instead, the horrible call was the fact that both Boris Diaw and Amar’e Stoudemire were ejected from action despite not participating in the scuffle and playing peacekeepers. What was even worse was that both Diaw and Stoudemire were suspended for Game Five despite the overwhelming evidence that they did nothing wrong. The Spurs would go on to win the series and the NBA championship while the Suns settled for disappointment over the next few seasons.
12. Kawhi Leonard Taken Out By Zaza Pachulia
This 2017 referee blunder inspired a rule that is still used in today’s game. The Spurs and Warriors were locked in battle during the 2017 Western Conference Finals. In Game One, the contest was tight during the third quarter with Kawhi Leonard leading the charge for San Antonio. Leonard rose up for a three-pointer during the quarter and came down awkwardly on Zaza Pahulia’s foot which re-aggravated an ankle injury Leonard suffered earlier in the game.
Upon further review, it looked as if Pachulia intentionally stuck out his foot in order to injure Leonard but no referee blew their whistle. Not only was Leonard ruled out for the game but he didn’t appear at any other moment during the entire rest of the series. The Spurs were lost without their main man and were promptly swept by the Warriors who went on to win their second NBA championship.
11. Kevin McHale’s Game-Winner Doesn’t Count
Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Toward the end of the 1980s, the Boston Celtics and their reign as one of the best dynasties of all time was coming to an end. In 1991, the Celtics found themselves in a heated playoff battle with defending champion Detroit Pistons. Even though there is no video for this particular moment, we can confirm this awful call took place. The most-hated Bad Boys and Boston were tied at 103 with under a minute to play in Game Six of the 1991 Eastern Conference semi-finals. Boston’s Reggie Lewis put up a shot on a drive to the basket but it ricocheted off the rim and bounced in the air.
Off the tip, Kevin McHale came and tipped it in to seemingly give the Celtics a lead late into the contest. However, the referee's whistle blew as the ball went through and he called Kevin McHale for offensive interference. The result was an overtime loss 116-111 to Detroit who would advance to play the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics were at the end of the road as far as their dynasty went and McHale and Larry Bird would both be retired by the end of 1993.
10. The 2008 NBA Finals Game Two
The 2008 NBA Finals marked a resurgence of sorts to the historic Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers rivalry. The Lakers found themselves down 1-0 in the series heading into Game two which would be marred by serious controversy by the end of the game. It was no one particular moment that caused them to come in at No. 10 on this list but rather an entire game of sketchy calls.
By the time that Boston took a 2-0 series lead in this one, fans and media members alike were baffled at the discrepancy between the two teams at the foul line. Boston was awarded 38 free throws in Game Two while the Lakers were given just 10 attempts from the foul line. Leon Powe was given 10 attempts himself off the bench to match the Lakers’ attempts, calling into question the motives of the officiating crew. The Celtics would go on to win their first NBA title since 1986, defeating the Lakers in six games.
9. The 2010 NBA Finals Game Seven
Two years after the 2008 NBA Finals blunder, the Celtics and Lakers would meet again on the biggest stage. This time, it would be Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on the right, or wrong, end of egregiously bad foul calls that led to victory. In Game Seven, Bryant was having a miserable shooting night going 6-24 from the field in regulation. The referees made sure to make up for it by sending Bryant to the line 15 times alone in the final quarter of the game.
While the Celtics were committing some stupid fouls due to running out of energy down the stretch, some of the calls were completely and utterly ridiculous, to say the least. The Lakers went to the line 21 times as a team in the fourth quarter which included Bryant’s 15 trips. As a result, the Lakers would go on to win the game and capture the 16th title in their franchise’s history. Kobe Bryant would be named Finals MVP despite it not being one of his better Finals performances.
8. Paul George Hacked By Rudy Gobert
In 2018, Paul George was coming off an incredible season that saw him adjust comfortably to his new home with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the first round of the playoffs, George and the Thunder trailed 3-2 in a series with the Utah Jazz. Trailing 94-91 late in the game, the ball was going to be nowhere else but George’s hands and that is exactly what happened.
As George went up for a game-tying three-pointer with Rudy Gobert switched onto him, the ball sailed well short of the mark and the Jazz ended up winning the game and the series. Further replay shows that Gobert mauled George on the shot with undisputable contact being made. Instead of going to the line for three free throws, George and the Thunder were sent packing in one of the most controversial and blatantly awful no-calls of all time.
7. Bulls Get Bamboozled In Boston
The 2009 NBA playoffs featured some of the greatest competition in recent memory. In an Eastern Conference first-round matchup, the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls met in an absolute battle. With the Bulls trailing by two with just over two seconds left in the game, Bulls center Brad Miller received a pass with a clear path at the basket. On the way up, he was fully smacked across the face by Celtics guard Rajon Rondo and awarded two shots at the free-throw line.
Yes, there was a foul called, but in any other circumstance, that is a flagrant foul, and not only do the Bulls get the foul shots but they get possession as well. The no-call on the flagrant allowed the game to go to overtime where the Celtics wound up winning the game all but ending the series. With LeBron complaining about a missed call this past weekend in Boston, could you imagine if this was the scenario?
6. Vince Carter Slaps Morris Peterson
In 2006, Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets headed into Toronto to play the Raptors, a place Carter had called home in the past at the beginning of his career. In a close game at 51-47, Carter playfully smacked Morris Peterson of the Raptors across the face to which Peterson responded with a smack back on the back of Carter’s head.
The result? Peterson would be ejected from the game and although he wasn’t fined, it is still one of the most ridiculous calls in NBA history. If anything, it was Carter who should have been thrown from the game rather than Peterson who was baited into the retaliation. Something like this had never been seen in the NBA and still hasn’t been seen since. The story gets wilder when you realize that Peterson and Carter are friends who were just enjoying a playful moment.
5. Kevin Durant Charge Or Blocking? 2018 NBA Finals Game One
When fans think about Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals, they often refer to J.R Smith’s epic blunder that cost the Cavs a win in regulation. However, what occurred before that at the hands of the referees is ultimately what cost them the game. Down 104-102, Kevin Durant of the Warriors drove to the basket with about 30 seconds left on the clock. After barreling into LeBron James, referees conversed and called a charge on Durant claiming that James was outside the restricted area. In order to get the call right, they went to the replay monitors to check.
After deliberation, a blocking foul was called on James and Durant would tie the game at the free-throw line. The problem is, the call was determined to be non-reviewable calling into question the intentions of the referees that evening. The rest is history and instead of stealing a game at Oracle Arena, the Cavaliers were swept in four games and the Warriors claimed their third NBA title in four seasons.
4. Referee Fouls Dwyane Wade
Joey Crawford finds himself back on this list as one of the more controversial referees in NBA history. This time, it was Game Seven of the 2005 Eastern Conference Finals between the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat. With just over 17 seconds to go, an errant pass by Dwyane Wade was corralled by Damon Jones who was soon swarmed by Detroit’s Chauncey Billups. As Jones corralled the pass, Crawford, the referee, barreled into Jones sending him to the floor.
Crawford then reacted as if it were Billups who fouled Jones and awarded free throws as a result of the play. Replay shows that Crawford was the only person to make contact with Jones and the foul call was some ill-advised attempt to save his pride. Despite the ref's best efforts to give the game to Miami, Detroit would end up winning the game and advancing to the NBA Finals where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
3. Bill Laimbeer’s Phantom Foul On Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The 1988 NBA Finals would be the first of two straight matchups between the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers on the NBA’s biggest stage. In Game Six, the Pistons were leading the Lakers late 102-101. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar received a pass from Byron Scott in the post and went up for one of his patented skyhooks. The shot missed but out of nowhere a foul was called and Laimbeer was assessed his sixth foul disqualifying him from the game.
With 14 seconds left, Kareem knocked down both free throws to give the Lakers the lead. The Pistons could not get a shot off in the final seconds and the Lakers had forced a Game Seven. The Lakers would win Game Seven and the NBA championship despite one of the worst calls in NBA Finals History. The call robbed the Pistons of what could have been a three-peat as NBA champions as they would go on to win in both 1989 and 1990.
2. Kevin Durant Saves The Ball
In a nationally televised contest between the Warriors and Rockets, one of the most egregious missed calls in NBA history occurred. The game was tied at 132 in overtime with the Warriors in possession. Durant receives the inbounds pass but has it knocked away on the drive to the basket. After the ball bounces off a few fingertips, Durant can be seen chasing down the loose ball and heaving it across the court in what seemed like a legitimate save to keep it from going out of bounds.
Upon many different instant replays, it was incredibly clear that Durant had taken a full three steps out of bounds and was pretty much lying down on the baseline when he touched the ball to save it. Reggie Miller can even be heard saying “How in the world do you miss that?” on the live telecast. The worst part was the ball got to Curry who hit a go-ahead jumper to give the Warriors the lead. However, Harden and the Rockets would escape with victory after the crafty shooting guard knocked down a last-second game-winning three.
1. 2002 Western Conference Finals Game Six
There was no rivalry better than the Lakers and Kings during the early 2000s. From Doug Christie punching Rick Fox in the face to Vlade Divac and Shaquille O’Neal nearly brawling in the tunnel, there was no love lost between these two teams. In the 2002 Western Conference Finals, the Kings had built a 3-2 series lead over the Lakers as Game Six winded down. In the fourth quarter, however, something unbelievable happened as the Lakers were sent to the foul line an incredible 27 times having only attempted 13 foul shots as a team beforehand.
Disgraced referee Tim Donaghy explained that this game was one of the most obvious examples of rigging the NBA had ever seen and the Kings had been robbed of a berth in the NBA Finals. The Lakers would go on to beat the Kings on the road in Game Seven and win their third NBA championship as a result. To this day, Game Six’s debacles are still considered to be the worst missed calls in NBA history.
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