Mavs say non-call on apparent goaltend cost them
NEW ORLEANS — The Pelicans outlasted the injury-depleted Dallas Mavericks 119-116 on Wednesday night after Trey Murphy III had a disputed block of Spencer Dinwiddie‘s layup for the lead with four seconds left.
Murphy had 24 points and 10 rebounds, capped by game-sealing free throws with two seconds left, but video replays made his block look more like a goaltend that wasn’t called.
“The league wants to get it right,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “The referees have a tough job. They clearly did not get that right, and it cost us maybe the game.”
With 15 seconds remaining and Dallas trailing 117-116, P.J. Washington got a steal near midcourt and the Mavs pushed the ball in transition. Dinwiddie received a pass as he moved toward the basket and went up for a potential go-ahead layup as Murphy trailed. The ball appeared to hit the glass before Murphy touched it, but the Mavs were out of timeouts and could not challenge.
Dinwiddie disagreed with the non-call, saying he deliberately put the ball off the backboard so the shot couldn’t be blocked.
“If people follow my career, and I beat the big or whatever, and I hold it out here, I put it directly on the glass for two reasons,” said Dinwiddie, who finished with 20 points. “One, I’m tall and long. I’m extending, so they have to jump over and block it.
“If you do happen to block it, it’s already on the glass and I’m scoring. I’ve literally made a whole bunch of money doing that exact move.”
Daniel Gafford scored a career-high 27 points on 12-of-13 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds for Dallas, which played without top two scorers Luka Doncic (left calf) and Kyrie Irving (back), as well as usual starting center Dereck Lively (right ankle). The Mavs have lost three straight and eight of 10.
Dejounte Murray scored a game-high 30 points, and Javonte Green added 13 points to help New Orleans (10-32) take its third victory in four games after winning just five of its first 33.
The Pelicans played without Zion Williamson (left hamstring), who was rested after playing Tuesday night in Chicago.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
