PHILADELPHIA — After the Los Angeles Clippers' 108-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, crew chief Kevin Scott said in a pool report that 76ers forward Kelly He said a foul should have been called on Oubre Jr.'s drive. Last play.
“On the last play on the floor, our staff interpreted that play in real time as a defender jumping vertically,” Scott said. “However, in the post-game video review, it was observed that the defender drifted slightly to the left.” [Paul] George, the foul should have been called. ”
The play capped off a truly chaotic final moment of action, a game that drew multiple reviews, a wedge shot that led to a jump ball, two costly turnovers for the 76ers, and a clippers star. It ended with two and-ones by Kawhi Leonard and an eventual drive by Oubre. In South Philadelphia's first game since James Harden was traded, he was seen lying on the ground as the Clippers celebrated a much-needed victory.
The nurse stormed into the courtroom to protest not being called and had to be stopped by her assistants. Oubre also jumped in and pointed at three officials, Scott, J.B. DeRosa and Brandon Adair, before being separated.
When asked about his actions after the game, Oubre said, “First and foremost, it was the excitement of the moment.'' “Obviously, this is an intense basketball game, and we're not perfect, the referees aren't perfect, and I want to apologize for losing my cool, because that's what I strive for every day. I represented God in the best way I could, but it was more than that. So I just ask for forgiveness.
“But I saw Coach Nurse being furious and if our coach is fighting for us and he's going to go there, I'm right behind him. But at the end of the day. By the way, that wasn't cool. So I'm going to accept it.''We have to move on, no matter what penalties come with it, but in some ways we have to be better. ”
Nurse still believed that Philadelphia was at a disadvantage with a few late starts, but he also acknowledged that the 76ers contributed to their own undoing.
“Well, at 104-101, we put the ball on the sideline. [and] tyreese [Maxey] “They got wide open in the backcourt, slipped and fell, and they got an and-1 from there,” Nurse said. “We came down and scored. They had a full-court press and dropped one Kelly out of bounds.” ”
That said, he also felt he should have said it differently later on.
“I think [Oubre] I thought about it pretty hard,” the nurse said. “I looked at it a few times on the computer,'' the nurse said. “I thought it was definitely a touch, certainly like the last couple of cases where they called an and-1 on the other side.'' I did. [But] That can happen sometimes. ”
For both teams, the final stages of the match were a desperate affair, befitting their recent play. Philadelphia is currently 13-26 this season playing without NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid. Embiid is inching closer to returning from left lateral meniscus surgery he underwent seven weeks ago.
The loss leaves the 76ers in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, missing out on a chance to move up to the sixth-place Indiana Pacers, who lost to Chicago on Wednesday.
“I keep saying the same thing,” Maxey said. “We know every time we go on the floor trying to win, but if we can get the big fella back, it's just a step in the right direction. No matter who we play, no matter what the situation is, playoff time is coming. So we feel like we have a great opportunity and a great chance for him to join our team.
“So we, the other players, have to go in the right direction and do all the little things and go out there and play very aggressive on defense and play the right way. If he comes back, we can move forward.” ”
Meanwhile, the Clippers had suffered back-to-back losses at home to the 76ers and Pacers, and were beginning a four-game series on the East Coast starting Wednesday, only to find themselves in a dogfight for the current fourth place spot in the West Division. No, just a few games from the play-in slot.
All of this overshadowed Harden's first game back in Philadelphia after the trade, where the future Hall of Famer had 16 points and 14 assists in 39 minutes. He was wildly booed during introductions and during the first quarter, but as the game wore on his return faded into the background of a hard-fought game with a frenetic finish.
“I expected it,” Harden said of the reaction. “I don’t really know what it is, but I was expecting it.
“That's the thing. I don't know why there was booing.”