Aftermath of missed calls show frustrating side to NBA officiating

Tatum made a stepback three-pointer at the buzzer Saturday night to give the Boston Celtics a 126-123 win over the Toronto Raptors. But according to the Last Two Minute Report, the shot shouldn't have counted, since Tatum traveled while getting himself free of Ochai Agbaji.

The L2M Report deemed the play an incorrect non-call, as Tatum "slides his pivot foot before releasing his dribble." The replay shows he takes three or four steps before dribbling, a few seconds before rising up for the game-winner. Of course, there was a more egregious non-call seconds earlier, when Davion Mitchell knocked down Jaylen Brown while going through, and over, a screen. That foul, also deemed an incorrect non-call in the L2M, would have sent Brown to the line for two free throws.

Tatum's wasn't the only recent buzzer-beater that followed an uncalled travel. The L2M Report ruled that Julius Randle traveled before his three-pointer gave the Minnesota Timberwolves a 120-117 win over the Phoenix Suns.

That's a common result of the Last Two Minute Reports, which are designed for the NBA to provide transparency and accountability for calls in the final minutes of close games (five points or less). But all it provides is acknowledgment, which tends to make the people involved feel worse. It's not like they replay the final seconds of the game as a result.

Most of the time, the report is more frustrating than anything else. The L2M from Saturday's Bucks-Hornets game agreed with Bucks coach Doc Rivers that the late foul which gave LaMelo Ball the game-winning free throws was incorrect. But the Bucks still lost, and Rivers still got a $25K fine for publicly (and correctly) criticizing the officials.

What these reports do tend to confirm is that, no matter how much fans and players might feel referees are biased against them, calls tend to even out. That was the case with the end of regulation in Saturday's game, too.

The referees missed a foul call on Tatum against the Raptors' Jakob Poeltl in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, which led to Poeltl turning the ball over. But two seconds earlier, the officials also missed a three-second violation on Poeltl, which would have been a turnover.

The particular calls may have been wrong, but ultimately, officiating justice was served Saturday night. Mostly.