NBA Admits to Late-Game Officiating Errors in Warriors’ Play-In Victory Over Grizzlies

The NBA has acknowledged a series of officiating mistakes that occurred during the dramatic closing minutes of the Golden State Warriors’ 121-116 play-in victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night at Chase Center in San Francisco. The league released its Last Two Minute Report on Wednesday, confirming multiple missed calls that could have influenced the game’s outcome.

One of the most crucial errors came with just 7.3 seconds remaining and the Warriors clinging to a 117-116 lead. According to the report, Memphis’ Ja Morant legally knocked the ball away from Stephen Curry, and it should have been Grizzlies’ possession. However, officials awarded the ball to Golden State, a decision the NBA now says was incorrect, as Curry was the last to touch the ball before it went out of bounds.

Capitalizing on the call, Curry was fouled and went on to hit two free throws with 5.4 seconds left, pushing the Warriors’ lead to 119-116. The report did back the officiating crew’s next big decision — a five-second inbound violation called on Memphis, which handed the ball back to Golden State. Curry then sealed the win with two more free throws, ending the game with 24 points.

The NBA also cited two more missed calls earlier in the final moments. With 1:29 left on the clock and the Warriors up 114-109, Golden State’s Draymond Green should have been called for his sixth foul on a play involving Memphis’ Scotty Pippen Jr. The non-call allowed Green to stay in the game a bit longer before he eventually fouled out with 58.6 seconds left.

On the next possession, a missed offensive goaltending violation on Memphis center Zach Edey — who slammed in a putback — helped the Grizzlies cut the deficit to three. The league said Edey should have been penalized for touching the ball above the cylinder.

Despite the officiating lapses, the Warriors secured the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and will face the second-seeded Houston Rockets in the first round. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, await the outcome of the Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks matchup to determine their next opponent in the play-in tournament.

The admission of errors is unlikely to comfort Memphis fans, but it shows the NBA’s ongoing efforts toward transparency in critical game situations.