NBA Announces Missed Call on Lakers During Stunning Game 3 Comeback Win vs. Rockets
The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a miraculous comeback to beat the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series, but the NBA's Last Two Minute Report revealed that they got a little help from a missed call.
According to the report, Marcus Smart should have been called for a lane violation on a free throw that cut the lead down to three points with less than 30 seconds left in regulation.
Smart was fouled while attempting a three-pointer as the Lakers trailed 101-95. The veteran guard made all three shots, putting Los Angeles within striking distance in the final moments. Had the lane violation taken away one of those free throws, a four-point comeback would have been much harder to overcome.
After the free throws, LeBron James forced Rockets guard Reed Sheppard to turn the ball over. The Lakers star then drilled a three-pointer to tie the game with just 13.6 seconds remaining.
Both teams had go-ahead shot attempts miss, and the game went to overtime. Using the momentum from their comeback, the Lakers outscored the Rockets 11-7 in overtime, with eight of those points coming from Smart.
While the missed call helped the Lakers make a comeback and ultimately win, it's far from the only reason the Rockets lost. Houston struggled tremendously down the stretch with a handful of crucial turnovers, including Reed's that led to James' game-tying three.
"Horrendous mistakes, I don't know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment, or whatever the case," head coach Ime Udoka said. "You have a six-point lead with 20 or 30 seconds to go, you just have to get a rebound and hold the ball and get fouled."
The Lakers and Rockets will face off again on Sunday, where Houston will try to avoid having its season end with a sweep.
