NEW YORK — The NBA acknowledged another mistake by its referees Sunday, saying a 3-shot foul should have been called at the end of last night’s Pelicans-Mavericks game.
“After reviewing postgame video, we have determined a foul should have been called on Dallas’ Monta Ellis for illegal contact on the arms of New Orleans’ Austin Rivers while Rivers was attempting a three-point field goal. Rivers should have been awarded three free throws with 0.6 left on the clock,” NBA vice president Rod Thorn said in a statement.
The guilty parties in this whistle-swallowing fiasco were Eric Dalen, Tony Brothers and John Goble,
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Rivers pleaded for a foul call as the referees were leaving the court, and coach Monty Williams said video showed Ellis had his arm across both of Rivers’ arms.
The play happened just a few feet away from Brothers, but it appeared he did not have a clear angle to see the obvious foul.
“That’s embarrassing,” said Williams. “That’s not right. A no-call in a game like that when Dirk (Nowitzki) gets the same call in the first half and they shot 45 free throws? Certainly, we’re not going to blame the game on the referees.”