Friday’s NBA Cup game between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers came down to the wire — twice. And the league had the chance to use a new-ish tool to determine if the game would keep going.
With the game tied at 123 in overtime, Clippers guard James Harden shot a floater with seconds left, but it was blocked by Daniel Gafford. Referees initially ruled the block as a goaltend, briefly awarding L.A. what would have been the game-winning two points.
The NBA then used its automated officiating to determine where the ball was in its arc. The league made automated officiating more widespread this season as a way to improve the accuracy of on-court calls.
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After NBA’s Court iQ analyzed the shot, it determined Harden’s floater hadn’t yet reached the peak of its arc when Gafford smacked it, making it a block and not a goaltend. The result sent the game to double-overtime.
The Clippers went on to win 133-127 in double OT, so the call probably didn’t change the end result. But it demonstrates the early stages of the arrival of automated officiating in the NBA — and in other pro sports as well, with robot umpires set to join MLB next season.
Harden finished with a triple-double, totaling 41 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Veteran Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanović pitched in 21 points off the bench, including five 3-pointers.
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D’Angelo Russell, who hit the game-tying layup in the final minutes of regulation, had 28 points off the bench for Dallas, while forward Naji Marshall had 28 points and eight rebounds as the Mavericks fell just short at home.