Officials Wave Off Toronto Raptors' 3-Point Basket, Sacramento Kings Win 102-99

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Sacramento, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings got a little of bit of luck on their side when they beat the visiting Toronto Raptors 102-99 at Golden 1 Center on Sunday night. The much-needed victory also ended a four-game skid for the Kings.

Terrence Ross made a 3-point basket at the buzzer left that would have put the game into overtime, but the referees waved the basket off after viewing the play, citing that the clock malfunctioned when DeMarcus Cousins tipped an inbound pass to Ross.

The clock, with 2.4 seconds left, should have started when Cousins deflected the pass. Of course, Toronto head coach Dwane Casey and his staff saw another version of the ending that will be talked about repeatedly. Mike Callahan, one of the three officials gave Casey the bad news.

“(Mike) Callahan said that it was a clock malfunction,” Casey said following the game. “I've been in coaching now 37 years, college and pro, you know if it's indisputable (then) let's play five more. I gotta hear another explanation better than that because we reviewed it about 10 times in there. Even if the clock started once DeMarcus Cousins deflected it, T-Ross caught it, shot it, and still had shot it a .5 (seconds), with plenty of time.”

Sacramento Kings players Garrett Temple, left, and Matt Barnes, right, defend Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan, No. 10, at Golden 1 Center on Nov. 20, 2016 (Photo Art by T. Ray Harvey).

The Kings were leading 102-97 after Darren Collison stole the ball and assisted Rudy Gay with a breakaway dunk with 1:37 seconds remaining the game. On the Kings next possession, Cousin missed a 20-foot shoot that was rebounded by DeMarre Carroll.

Kyle Lowry attempted a 3-point shot for the Raptors, but was fouled by Gay, which sent Lowry to the free-throw line. Lowry made two of three shots from the charity stripe.

With 26.2 seconds left to play, the Kings ended up not getting a shot off when the 24-second clock expired. After Casey called a timeout, Ross made the basket that is now officially not a made basket. Cousins had the same sentiments about the call that went the Kings’ way.

“It was a tough shot, but it doesn’t matter,” Cousins said. “It doesn’t count.”

Rudy Gay, who was traded to Sacramento from Toronto a few years ago, led the Kings (5-9) with 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three rebounds. Cousins was 7-for-22 from the field, but added 19 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. The Kings are now 3-4 at G1C.

“That was the team that I saw in the preseason that I got excited about,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said about his team. “Coaching a bunch a guys that care about each other and play really hard and let the chips fall where they may. We got (Toronto) twice in two weeks and that's pretty difficult to do.”

Toronto Raptors (8-5) and 4-2 on the road and came to town after beating hosts Denver Nuggets 113-111 on Nov. 18. Kyle Lowry had 25 points, eight rebounds, and six assists while center Jonas Valanciunas finished with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocked shots.

DeMar DeRozan, the Raptors’ leading scorer, was held well below of his 33.0 points-per-game average. DeRozan was 3-for-15 from the field and ended with 12 points in 38 minutes and 45 seconds. His team actually stepped up for him in the losing cause.

“It was at least two seconds left,” Ross said as he described the final seconds of the game. “Whether he deflected it or not, I knew I could get it off. It wasn't like I had to shoot it right away. It’s tricky. There's nothing they can say to justify it. Especially, for the refs to be so nonchalant about it. It's really frustrating. That was a bad call.”

In the Raptors’ locker room, the players either said nothing about the call or said little to nothing. Lowry made it clear that he was not going to make his wallet light by criticizing the officials.

“I'm going to save my money and say no comments,” Lowry said.

The Kings, who were rushed off the floor by Joerger once the verdict came in, is taking the fifth win of the season, two of them at the expense of the Raptors.

“We really needed that win,” Gay said. "We never get those breaks.So it was really surprising.”

PRESS INFORMATION:

• Ty Lawson attended the short, short, short Kanye West concert at Golden 1 Center on Nov. 19 with DeMarcus Cousins, Omri Casspi, and Ben McLemore. Kanye showed up more than an hour late and left the stage after a 20-minute performance, leaving 13,000 fans in shambles. Lawson’s reaction: “Uh, it was Kanye being Kanye. It’s a Kanye thing. I think he was a little emotional, but I don’t know what he was emotional about. He just walked off. But it’s all good though. I just took it as it was. I heard two songs that I like. So it’s cool.”

• Dave Joerger changed his lineup by inserting Darren Collison and Matt Barnes into the starting lineup. Kosta Koufous and Arron Afflalo went to the bench. Afflalo had 14 points and Koufos added eight points and eight rebounds.

T. Ray (Antonio) Harvey is a Public Information Officer and Photo Artist for Publicity Agents. Harvey is also the author of The HOMICIDAL HANDYMAN OF OAK PARK: MORRIS SOLOMON JR.