NBA Last Two Minute Report Confirms Goaltending Against Gobert In Blazers/Jazz Game

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NBA Officiating Last Two Minute Report for the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz confirmed that officials missed a controversial goaltending call against Rudy Gobert.

The NBA released its report of the final minutes Utah’s 117-114 win over the Trail Blazers from February 7 during the afternoon of Saturday, February 8.

With 13.3 seconds left in the game and the Jazz up 116-114, Portland guard Damian Lillard drove towards the basket as he attempted a shot. Gobert attempted to block the shot and swatted the ball but only after it made contact with the backboard.

The Jazz snap a five-game losing streak but it comes with controversy on a missed call in the final ten seconds. Here's what Quin Snyder and Jazz players had to say about the missed call after the game. #TakeNotehttps://t.co/cOq253JPr2 pic.twitter.com/3aedYwj0YF

— Zak Hicken (@zakhicken) February 8, 2020

Gobert’s Goaltending

The NBA rulebook states that a defender can’t touch the ball during a field goal attempt “which has a chance to score after it has touched any part of the backboard above ring level, whether the ball is considered on its upward or downward flight.”

According to the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report, Gobert made illegal contact “with Lillard’s shot attempt after it hits the backboard and still has a chance to score.”

The @NBAOfficial Last Two Minute Report from last night’s #PORatUTA game shows two incorrect calls, both detrimental to the Jazz. A foul by Joe Ingles against Damian Lillard wasn’t called as well as the controversial goaltending that wasn’t called against Rudy Gobert. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/F3Ce86iafb

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 8, 2020

The officials allowed the play to continue after Gobert’s late block without blowing their whistles for basket interference.

Utah forward Joe Ingles rebounded the ball and passed it to Jazzman Bojan Bogdanovic who was then fouled by Blazers guard Gary Trent Jr.

The Trail Blazers players contested the missed goaltending call but their pleas for a review of the play had no avail.

The L2M report emphasized that “goaltending is only a reviewable matter when it is whistled on the floor by officials.”

Bogdanovic made one of two free throws to stretch Utah’s lead to three points. The Blazers missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer and the Jazz claimed a 117-114 win.

Postgame Reactions

After the game, Gobert agreed that the officials had missed the call.

“Obviously after watching the replay, it was goaltending. I was just trying to make a play,” said Gobert. “Officials are humans and it’s part of the game.”

Lillard was visibly upset at the no-call on the court after the play as well as during postgame interviews with the media and on social media after the game.

“We get to the last play of the game, and they miss an easy call,” said Lillard postgame. “Then they tell us that’s an easy no-call like that was obviously not a goaltend. Cost us a f—ing game, man. Cost us a game.”

Damian Lillard was furious after the no-call toward the end of the Blazers’ loss. pic.twitter.com/KHrr6AZhgd

— ESPN (@espn) February 8, 2020

“Yeah, I don’t really know what to say. We’ve been on the other side of that a few times,” said Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell of the Lillard’s frustration.  “I can understand where his frustration came from.”

No matter how the game ended, you still can't discredit what the Jazz did in the second half to slow down an MVP candidate in Lilard and erase a big deficit to come back and get the lead. That's one sentiment @spidadmitchell shared after the game. #TakeNote #UtahJazz @KSLSports https://t.co/bFXEJEkFkF pic.twitter.com/GYO40T026b

— Sam Farnsworth (@SFarnsworthKSL) February 8, 2020

Mitchell and Lillard continued the conversation on Twitter after the game.

I said what I said… https://t.co/IrhB83kkVY

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) February 8, 2020

The L2M report also highlighted a missed foul call against Ingles on Lillard saying the Jazz forward reached in and made “contact to Lillard’s arm… prior to his gather and the start of his shooting motion” with 1:13.3 left in the game.

Lillard finished the game with 42 points on 16-30 shooting including 8-14 from three.

Gobert posted a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Mitchell recorded 16 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals in the victory.

Up Next

With the win, Utah improved to 33-18 on the season and snapped a five-game losing streak. The Jazz are No. 4 in the Western Conference standings and 5.5 games out of first place.

The Blazers fell to 24-29 and 1.5 games out of the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference.

Utah’s next game is on the road against the Houston Rockets. The Jazz and Rockets play on Sunday, February 9 at 5 p.m. (MDT). The game will broadcast on NBA TV and 97.5 FM.