http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/20 ... -game.htmlNBA says referees made right call in Bulls gameNovember 11, 2009 11:41 AM | 2 Comments
By K.C. Johnson
The NBA league office said today that officials properly overturned Brad Miller's potential game-winning shot at the end of the Bulls' 90-89 loss to Denver on Tuesday.
Miller caught an inbounds pass from Kirk Hinrich with 0.3 seconds left and hoisted an awkward-looking shot that officials signaled was good at the buzzer.
But after a review that lasted roughly 3 minutes, crew chief Mark Wunderlich waved it off.
Reviews are supposed to be completed within 2 minutes. But Wunderlich asked if more angles were available at the 2-minute mark, and NBA spokesman Tim Frank said Wunderlich has the authority to extend the review.
At this point, Wunderlich received an overhead angle that, in his judgment, conclusively showed the ball still on Miller's fingertips when the red light and buzzer went off.
Just like football, Frank said conclusive evidence is needed to overturn the call made on the court.
"The review was conducted properly and the right call was made," Frank said.
Players are allowed to catch and shoot in 0.3 seconds. Contrary to what Nuggets coach George Karl said afterward, no rule exists prohibiting players from catching, pivoting and shooting.
However, a player must perform those acts and release the shot before the red light goes on. And officials ruled Miller did not.
As for Hinrich's foul on Chauncey Billups, which led to Billups' game-winning free throw with 0.6 seconds left, replays appeared to indicate the foul occurring with 1.1 seconds left. However, Frank said the clock has to be at 0.0 for the time of a foul to be reviewed and changed.