Malcolm Brogdon was pinned by two OKC players close to half court with less than 20 seconds remaining and Portland leading by one point. Head coach Chauncey Billups tried to signal for a timeout, but the referee ignored him, so he called a double-dribble on Brogdon instead.
MIAMI TIGHT END MAKING A RETURN FOR THE UNPRECEDENTED COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON 9
Billups was shown the door after receiving two technical fouls.
With 2.1 seconds remaining, Jalen Williams made a midrange jumper to give the Thunder a two-point lead, tying the score at 109-109 with his technical free throw.
After the defeat, Billups vented his frustration, claiming the officials ought to have been prepared for such an eventuality.
“We have timeouts,” said Billups. “Referees are typically ready for that exact moment or circumstance. I’m attempting to request a timeout from half court. It’s merely annoying. My guys gave it their all on the field. The play is frustrating.”
According to ESPN, the Trail Blazers have 48 hours to submit their protest to the league office. The league has five days to decide, and the team has five days to submit proof.
The referee was reportedly too preoccupied with the play to notice Billups’ attempts to draw a timeout, as per the pool report.
