The Philadelphia 76ers have been struggling since losing Joel Embiid to an injury, which makes every game a must-win for the team. That should’ve been the case during their recent match against the Los Angeles Clippers when the referees missed a call on All-Star forward Paul George.
In that particular game, the Clippers went home with a close 108-107 win against the 76ers . George dropped a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds in over 33 minutes on the court. James Harden had a double-double of 16 points and 14 assists, while Kawhi Leonard added 17 points of his own.
Still without Embiid in the lineup, Tyrese Maxey took over by making 26 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Buddy Hield contributed 17 points on 42 percent shooting from beyond the arc as a reserve.
The loss placed Philadelphia in eight place with 39 wins and 34 losses, putting them squarely within the Play-In Tournament. The Clippers, meanwhile, hold the Western Conference’s fourth seed with a 45-27 record. Furthermore, the 76ers have lost four of their last five games, placing them in danger of missing the playoffs this year.
NBA Referees Admit Missed Call on Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George That Led to Philadelphia 76ers Loss
During the game’s final stretch, Oubre caught possession of the ball and attempted to attack the rim as George was in front of him. Both players jumped, the shot was missed, and the game ended with no call on the Clippers’ star.
After the game, the NBA came out with an announcement that a call should have been made on George. According to a pair of tweets by Keith Pompey on X:
NBA refereee Kevin Scott on the final play of the Sixers vs. Clippers game: “On the last play on the floor, in real time the crew interpreted that play as the defender jumping vertically. However, in post-game video review we did observe some slight drift to his left by the defender George, and a foul should have been ruled.”
In postgame video review, the officials determined that a foul should have been called on Paul George in closing second. However, no foul was called and the Clippers escaped with a 108-107 victory over the Sixers, Pompey tweeted.
The win could have given Philadelphia more breathing room before the regular season ends. Instead, the team will have a harder time making the postseason, especially if they go through the Play-In Tournament.
It remains to be seen what the league will do to rectify this missed call. In any case, the 76ers are going to face an uphill battle, especially if Embiid remains inactive for his team.
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