Mavericks rule out protest over baffling Pelicans loss
01/16/2025 02:48 PM
The Dallas Mavericks have formally ruled out filing an official protest with the NBA following their controversial 119-116 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported the team's decision after evaluating a critical missed goaltending call that could have altered the game's outcome.
With six seconds left in regulation, Spencer Dinwiddie attempted a layup that was blocked by Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III. Replays showed that the ball had already touched the backboard before Murphy's block, which should have been ruled as goaltending. However, officials did not make the call, leaving the Mavericks without an opportunity to tie or win the game in the final moments.
Should this have been called goaltending on the potential game-winning layup by Spencer Dinwiddie? pic.twitter.com/k8FRKNreBEhttps://t.co/beteZlheNM
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 16, 2025
Head coach Jason Kidd addressed the officiating issue during his postgame remarks.
"The league wants to get it right," Kidd said. "The referees have a tough job. They clearly did not get that right, and it cost us maybe the game."
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison also weighed in, addressing the decision not to pursue an official protest.
"You can do an appeal but if you do it, you have to spend some money," Harrison said, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. "It might make you feel good, but it’s not going to change the outcome. Refs make mistakes. It’s frustrating. … It is what it is. You have to move on to the next game."
Mavericks opt against protest in baffling loss to Pelicans
The loss extended Dallas' losing streak to three games, dropping their record to 22-19 and pushing them down to seventh place in the Western Conference standings. Despite the frustrations surrounding the game, the Mavericks chose not to pursue the rarely successful protest process.
Protests in the NBA are rare, and successful protests are even rarer. The last time an NBA protest was upheld occurred on December 19, 2007, when the Miami Heat challenged an officiating error during a game against the Atlanta Hawks. In that instance, Shaquille O'Neal was incorrectly fouled out, and the protest led to the final 51.9 seconds of overtime being replayed on March 8, 2008. By that time, O'Neal was no longer a member of the Heat, as he had been traded to the Phoenix Suns.
The Mavericks now shift their focus to their next game, a home matchup against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. The teams have split their two meetings this season, with Oklahoma City winning their December game 118-104.
While the decision not to protest marks a practical step forward, the missed call has reignited conversations about officiating consistency in high-stakes moments. For the Mavericks, the priority remains on regaining momentum as they work to stabilize their position in the standings.
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