The Rockets took an 11-point lead into the halftime break of Game 7 against the Warriors in Houston. dominating Golden State for the first 24 minutes of action, leading 54-43.
However, everyone expected the Warriors to come out hot in the third quarter, because that’s been how they’ve operated all year. So it came as little surprise that Golden State erased that deficit and took a 76-69 lead into the fourth quarter. What was of note to many was the manner in which the Warriors got back into the game, as the Rockets couldn’t seem to buy a foul call for a long stretch.
The most egregious no-call of the third quarter came on a Jordan Bell screen that seemed to pretty obviously be a moving screen as he backed James Harden out of the way of a Steph Curry three.
https://twitter.com/_MarcusD2_/status/1001291393103515648
That no-call, which followed a few questionable decisions from the crew, led Twitter to erupt in protest of what appeared to be an unfair whistle for the home team. Even DeMarcus Cousins, who isn’t new to referee criticism, led the charge as he questioned how things were being called on Twitter.
The zebras are on the run!
— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) May 29, 2018
Boogie wasn’t alone among NBA players that were curious about the call disparity in the third, as Jeremy Lin also chimed in on Twitter.
As objectively as I can be, the Warriors are prob still the better team but the refs are definitely helping them…
— Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) May 29, 2018
The rest of NBA Twitter, predictably, was up in arms as well, with plenty of folks noting how it seemed the whistle was favoring Golden State.
Scott Foster just saved the Warriors 4 points…
— Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) May 29, 2018
This officiating is so, so bad.
— Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) May 29, 2018
This officiating is making me uncomfortable.
— David Zavac (@DavidZavac) May 29, 2018
Not one to point officiating, but this kinda stuff leads to conspiracy theories.
— VinceEllis (@AlabamaScribe56) May 29, 2018
Warriors are getting a NICE whistle.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) May 29, 2018
I just saw the absolute worst moving screen I’ve ever seen, in 10 years of NBA coverage, and it was uncalled. Curry 3.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 29, 2018
Ya’ll.
Y’all.
Y’all.
These officials.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 29, 2018
Rockets getting a rough whistle tonight.
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) May 29, 2018
It’s important to note that while the referees weren’t exactly helping Houston, the Rockets didn’t help themselves as they were unable to hit anything in the third quarter, missing 25 consecutive three-pointers over the course of the second, third, and early fourth quarters. That, as much as anything, allowed Golden State to reel them in and begin running away.
