NBA L2M Report: James Harden Committed a Charge on Game 3 Dagger vs. Warriors

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Just a few days after the officials potentially cost the Houston Rockets a win in Game 1, they might have helped them out in Game 3. 

The Rockets earned their first win of the second round Saturday with a 126-121 overtime victory over the Golden State Warriors. However, the NBA‘s Last Two Minute Report shows that James Harden should have been called for an offensive foul on his clutch floater in the final minute:

This would have kept the score at 124-121, giving the Warriors the ball with a chance to tie the game.

The officials swallowed their whistles, however, and the Rockets went up two possessions before holding on for the victory.

The only other incorrect ruling listed in the report also benefitted the Rockets, as Chris Paul should have been called for a loose-ball foul on the jump ball with 1.5 seconds remaining in regulation.

This is a major change from the Game 1 Last Two Minute Report, which saw all three incorrect calls go against Houston. Stephen Curry got away with fouls twice in the last two minutes—a significant development considering the guard had five fouls at the time.

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said the refs told him at halftime that they missed four calls, per Ben Golliver of the Washington Post.

Now it seems the Warriors are the ones who could have a legitimate beef with the officials.

Although we don’t know whether any of the calls would have affected the outcome of the games, the refs are, unfortunately, part of the series’ story once again.