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The NBA has weighed in on the controversial finish of the Indiana Pacers' 125-122 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, ruling that the collision between All-Star forward Pascal Siakam and Mavericks forward Caleb Martin was "incidental" and not a foul, contradicting Pacers coach Rick Carlisle's assertion that it was a clear foul.
However, the league's last two-minute report, which reviews calls in games with a scoring margin of three points or fewer at any point in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime, did identify a different error: a foul called on Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith with 18 seconds remaining that the NBA deemed incorrect.
The play in question occurred with 3.7 seconds left and the Pacers trailing by three. Indiana had a sideline out-of-bounds opportunity, and Andrew Nembhard lobbed a pass toward Siakam at the opposite elbow. Martin, who was defending another Pacers player near the baseline, broke on the ball, got a hand on it, and then collided with Siakam, sending both to the floor. Mavericks guard Walter Clayton Jr. chased down the loose ball, and time expired, sealing the Dallas win.
Carlisle was adamant in his postgame comments that a foul should have been called. "It was a football-caliber collision," he said. "It's clearly a foul. We would have been shooting two free throws with 3.5 seconds left. I'm at a loss for what was being looked at. Then you ask and the response is shocking." But the league's report explained that because Martin deflected the ball before the contact, the collision is considered incidental. "Martin (DAL) deflects the ball away from Siakam (IND)," the report stated. "The ensuing contact that occurs after the deflection is considered incidental."
The other contentious moment came with 18 seconds left, after Aaron Nesmith's 3-pointer had pulled Indiana within 123-122. On the inbounds play, Nesmith and Nembhard trapped Irving in the backcourt near the sideline and the Pacers bench. Nesmith placed two hands on Irving before Irving jumped to pass, and a foul was whistled. Carlisle and Nesmith protested, and the NBA later ruled the call incorrect, noting that "Nesmith (IND) grasps, and immediately releases, Irving's (DAL) jersey and the contact is marginal."
Key Analysis
The erroneous foul call on Nesmith may have inadvertently helped the Pacers, as it stopped the clock and gave them a chance to extend the game. However, it also prevented Indiana from potentially forcing a turnover or an 8-second violation, and it sent Irving—a career 88.8% free throw shooter—to the line, where he made both attempts. The Pacers then had a chance to tie, but Nesmith missed a 3-pointer with 7 seconds left. Indiana got another opportunity after P.J. Washington missed two free throws, but the final possession came up short. The report highlights the fine margins in a game that ended with multiple controversial officiating decisions.
Originally reported by yahoo.