In a surprising turn of events, the Portland Trail Blazers are planning to protest their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. The Blazers believe that head coach Chauncey Billups clearly called a timeout before the referee whistled Malcolm Brogdon for a double-dribble. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Blazers will be taking their case to the league office.
The game started off with the Thunder, a dominant 29-13 team, expected to have an easy victory over the struggling 12-30 Blazers. However, the Blazers came out hot from beyond the arc and the Thunder couldn’t catch a break. With just over 30 seconds left in the game, Anfernee Simons hit a clutch 3-pointer to give Portland a 109-106 lead, putting them in a position to potentially upset the Thunder.
But then things took a wild turn. The Thunder called a timeout and instead of attempting a game-tying 3-pointer, they opted for a quick two points. Jalen Williams made a nine-foot jumper to cut the deficit to one with 25.1 seconds remaining. At this point, the Thunder had a choice – foul and hope for a turnover or play out the possession and try to draw up one last play. They chose the latter and successfully forced a turnover when they trapped Malcolm Brogdon.
Both Brogdon and Coach Billups attempted to call a timeout, but the referees didn’t stop the play. When Brogdon put the ball on the ground again, he was called for a double-dribble with 15.6 seconds left. This decision left Billups incensed, leading him to explode at the official and receive a technical foul. Unable to calm down, he was hit with a second technical foul and ejected from the game.
This turn of events gave the Thunder, who were trailing by one, two free throws and possession of the ball. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed the first free throw but made the second, tying the score. Jalen Williams then gave the Thunder the lead with just two seconds remaining on the clock. The Blazers had one last chance to tie the game and send it to overtime, but their potential lob pass from Brogdon to Deandre Ayton was broken up.
After the game, the Blazers expressed their frustration with the missed timeout call. Coach Billups stated, “We’ve got timeouts. Referees usually are prepared for that, that instance, that situation. I’m at halfcourt trying to call a timeout. It’s just a frustrating play. My guys played too hard for that.” Brogdon also voiced his frustration, claiming that the whole coaching staff was calling for a timeout and that the referee didn’t want them to have one.
From a statistical standpoint, the loss wasn’t devastating for Portland. ESPN’s win probability metric never had them above 79.5% to win the game. However, it was the manner in which they lost that made it one of the strangest defeats of the season. With 25 seconds left and the lead, the Blazers failed to get off another shot, whether from the free-throw line or the floor. Their minds were still fixated on the missed timeout.
While this loss may not have significant implications for the Blazers, who are far from playoff contention, it could mean everything for the Thunder. The win brought their record to 30-13, tying them for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. The race for seeding in the conference is tight, with several teams within one loss of each other. The Thunder’s unlikely victory on Tuesday could have a major impact on their positioning come April.
In light of these events, the Blazers’ decision to protest the loss is understandable. They believe that Billups clearly called a timeout and that the referee failed to acknowledge it. The outcome of their protest remains to be seen, but it highlights the importance of clear communication between coaches and officials in crucial moments of the game.