The Dallas Mavericks fell 121-119 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in heartbreaking fashion on Tuesday after Max Strus hit a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to win it for Cleveland.
Now the NBA L2M report for the game is out, and Mark Cuban thinks the Mavericks got hosed on a call:
“Comment:Allen (CLE) and Kleber (DAL) engage off ball and marginal contact occurs as Allen releases away to disengage.”
Cuban is pointing out the shove that Jarrett Allen gives the Mavericks’ Maxi Kleber near the free throw line.
Here’s a better look at it, per Kirk Henderson:
While the Mavericks didn’t get the call with 35 seconds left in the game, they still had a chance to win, scoring the potential game-winner with two seconds left in the game before Strus hit his miracle buzzer-beater.
Cuban has never been shy about criticizing officials or the NBA’s process in evaluating them in secret during his time with the Mavericks. The league has been under fire this season for several high-profile blown calls including not granting Blazers head coach a timeout when he asked for one, calling a phantom foul on the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson that cost his team a win, and – earlier this week – missing a foul on the Knicks’ Donte DiVincenzo that potentially cost the Detroit Pistons a win at Madison Square Garden.
Despite the tough loss and possible missed call, the Mavericks need to regroup quickly. The team is back in action on Wednesday night taking on the Toronto Raptors on the road.
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