As soon as one controversy is solved, another rears its ugly head in the NBA on Tuesday night.
Sports Illustrated posted a Vine video of referee Joey Crawford interrupting Kevin Durant's second free-throw attempt in what proved to be the difference in the Memphis Grizzlies' 100-99 overtime victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
Durant was at the free-throw line with 27.5 second left in overtime and the Thunder trailing 100-98. He made the first, and Crawford gave him the ball to shoot the second free throw. But as Durant began his free-throw routine, Crawford ran in to reclaim the ball because a problem existed on the Chesapeake Energy Arena scoreboard.
Of course, Durant missed the second free throw and his previous free throw was the last point of the game. Durant missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds - why he was shooting a 3-pointer when the Thunder needed only two remains unclear - and Serge Ibaka's put-back came milliseconds after the clock struck 0.0. According to Oklahoman reporter Anthony Slater, the Thunder's beat writer, Durant accepted full responsibility for the miss.
Kevin Durant on the Joey Crawford ice: "I don't know what happened, but I got to make that free throw." — Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 30, 2014
Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks wasn't as ready to assume responsibility.
Scott Brooks on the Joey Crawford-KD free throw incident: "It was an awkward situation"
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 30, 2014
Media members criticized Crawford's actions on Twitter.
Joey Crawford @memgrizz 6th man of the year vs #Thunder. Adam Silver, we have another problem #NBAPlayoffs — Max Paul (@MrMaxPaul) April 30, 2014
Phenomenal defense on Kevin Durant by Tony Allen and Joey Crawford.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 30, 2014
Joey Crawford's typical hotdog refereeing disrupted Durant's second-free throw concentration and cost OKC a 2nd OT. So unnecessary. — Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 30, 2014
No response from Crawford was reported as of Tuesday night.
Do you think referee Joey Crawford was justified in taking the ball back from Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant after he had already given Durant the basketball and Durant needing the free throw to tie the game with 27.5 seconds left in overtime? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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