NBA Referee Report: Clippers Suffer Two Unfavorable Calls Both Involving Harden; Kawhi’s Buzzer-Beater Secures Narrow Win Over Pelicans

On November 2nd Beijing time, the NBA officially released the referee report covering the final two minutes of the Clippers vs. Pelicans game. The report highlighted two missed calls during that period, both disadvantaging the Clippers and involving Harden. Ultimately, Kawhi Leonard’s mid-range buzzer-beater led the Clippers to a tight 126-124 victory over the Pelicans.

The first missed call happened with 36.3 seconds left on the clock. Harden attempted a three-pointer under Jones’ defense, which ended up as an airball. Harden immediately complained to the referees about being fouled, but no call was made. The report stated that there was contact between Jones’ arm and Harden’s during the shot attempt, which disrupted Harden’s shooting motion. This was a missed foul on a three-point attempt, meaning Harden should have been awarded three free throws. This oversight disadvantaged the Clippers and benefited the Pelicans.

The second incorrect call took place with 19.9 seconds remaining. Harden and Saddiq Bey battled for a rebound under the basket, and the referees called a foul on Harden for rebounding. However, the report clarified that although Harden’s forearm made contact with Bey’s upper body, the contact was very minimal and did not warrant a foul. This erroneous call also worked against the Clippers and in favor of the Pelicans.

Despite facing consecutive incorrect and missed calls, the Clippers managed to hold on for the win. In the final moments, Kawhi Leonard hit a crucial mid-range shot at the buzzer to seal the victory for the Clippers.

In this game, Kawhi scored 34 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists; Harden contributed 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 14 assists. On the Pelicans side, the top scorer was reserve Jordan Poole with 30 points, while Zion Williamson added 29 points and 6 rebounds.