Oct 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) reacts to a call during the second half against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

NBA Admits Two Crucial Officiating Mistakes After Kings vs. Suns Game

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 11:38 AM ET

The Sacramento Kings picked up a crushing loss against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night to open their 2025-26 season, and did it in classic Kings fashion. Sacramento blew a 20-point lead against the Suns, crumbling in the second half to start the new season with a 0-1 record.

Still, the Kings had some bright spots in their season opener, as Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan combined for 59 points on 25-41 shooting from the field, and were just a couple of plays away from picking up a much-needed win with Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray sidelined.

In fact, the officials made a couple of costly mistakes that could have swung the outcome of Wednesday's game entirely.

NBA admits two mistakes in Last Two Minute Report

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The NBA released its Last Two Minute Report for the season opener and noted two officiating mistakes that happened in the final 1:30 of Wednesday's game.

The first mistake came with 1:25 left in the game, as the NBA pointed out that Suns center Mark Williams should have been called with a defensive three-second violation. This happened while the Kings were down by just two points, and it should have been a technical foul on the Suns.

"Williams (PHX) straddles the lane line and is in the paint for longer than three seconds without actively guarding an opponent," the NBA commented on the instance.

Per the Last 2 Minute Report, there were two incorrect calls late in last night’s Kings-Suns game. Suns center Mark Williams should've been called for a 3-second violation with 1:25 to go. Zach LaVine’s 3-pointer with 18.5 seconds to go was incorrectly scored as a 2-point basket.
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) October 23, 2025

The second mistake, and certainly the more notable one, came with just 20 seconds left and the Kings down by five. Kings star Zach LaVine drilled a contested shot to cut the lead to one possession, but the basket was scored as a two-pointer when it should have been counted as three.

"LaVine (SAC) attempts a three-point shot, which was incorrectly scored as a two-point shot," the league noted.

Sure, it is hard to say that either of these calls would have absolutely changed the outcome of the game, especially when the Kings allowed the Suns to come back from 20 down in the first place, but it is still crushing to see those two mistakes after a tough loss.

The Kings certainly would have liked to have started the new season on a high note, but they simply must move on to their next outing against the Utah Jazz on Friday, where they would prefer not to leave the game in the hands of a few officials. The Kings and Jazz are set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. PT in Sacramento on Friday.

This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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