NBA Admits Refs Missed This Big Call Late in Game 1 of Warriors-Thunder Playoff Series

Game one of the NBA's Western Conference finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder saw the underdog Thunder upset the Warriors 108-102 — but not without controversy seconds before the final buzzer.

In addition to Oklahoma City's overcoming a 14-point deficit at the end of the first half, most of the sports media were chattering about a missed call near the end of the game.

With less than 20 seconds remaining in the game and a mere three-point lead, Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook was dribbling the ball across the half-court line and appeared to commit a traveling violation as he attempted to call a time out.

The announcers saw Westbrook drag his foot and announced it to the television audience. The referees, however, did not. Instead of calling Westbrook for a walk, which would have given the ball back to the Warriors with 17 seconds left and a chance to tie it up, the refs awarded a time out to the Thunder.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was beside himself that traveling was not called.

Watch the obvious violation.

This was not called a travel, or even a foul pic.twitter.com/aBLRESk04V

— KNBR (@KNBR) May 17, 2016

After the game, Joe Borgia, senior vice president of Replays and Referee Operations for the NBA, talked with NBA TV's Matt Winer about some of the questionable calls made during the game and specifically addressed the missed call.

Borgia called it a "tough play," adding, "The officials are thinking Thompson might want to take a foul, so they're focusing a lot on Thompson," he said.

"The officials, no one could get in a good position to see him drag that pivot foot," Borgia explained. "It's an unfortunate miss."

NBA Senior VP Joe Borgia joins @NBATV to discuss three plays in #WARRIORSvTHUNDER Game 1 https://t.co/PT7mrqEZGk

— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) May 17, 2016

—

Follow the author of this story on Twitter and Facebook:

Follow @stuntbrain