The Chicago Bulls didn't catch too many breaks this season. However, they got one during Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons when rookie guard Jaden Ivey called a timeout that his team didn't have, resulting in a technical foul that helped the Bulls pull off a 117-115 victory.
Ivey's gaffe reminded many of Chris Webber's infamous timeout call in the 1993 NCAA Finals that cost the Michigan Wolverines the national title.
Bad memory
It was ironic that Ivey made this crucial mistake with March Madness 2023 looming right around the corner and also on the day C-Webb celebrated his 50th birthday.
It was 30 years ago when Webber, then a sophomore for the Wolverines and the leader of the popular "Fab Five," committed the biggest mistake of his basketball career.
With Michigan down two, 73-71, to the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 1993 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game, Webber got trapped in a corner and called a timeout when the Wolverines no longer had any.
Michigan was slapped with a technical foul, and the Tar Heels made their free-throws down the stretch to seal the NCAA title.
Ivey panicked
Ivey's mistake halted what could have been an incredible comeback by the Pistons. Detroit was down by as much as 21 points and had cut the deficit down to two, 114-112, with 9.7 seconds left. They had possession and could have either tied the game or taken the lead with a triple.
However, Ivey couldn't find a teammate to pass to on the inbound play and called one timeout too many, which helped the Bulls secure the crucial victory.
Afterward, Pistons coach Dwayne Casey refused to blame Ivey, saying there was more to the loss than that one play.
"He panicked, but the game wasn't won or lost on that one play," Casey said. "It was lost in the first quarter. With the laissez-faire approach we had defensively, they got whatever they wanted. It's such a mountain to climb when you get behind in this league."
More must-reads: