Rockets Likely to File Grievance Over Call on Harden’s Dunk

The Houston Rockets are likely to file an official protest with the NBA over the missed call on James Harden’s dunk on Tuesday, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reports.

Houston’s likely grievance comes after the Rockets lost in double overtime to the San Antonio Spurs. With 7:50 left in the fourth quarter, Harden threw down a breakaway dunk that the officials did not count after deeming it came back through the basket.

"When the play happened, Harden goes in for a dunk, and then the ball appears to us to pop back through the net," crew chief James Capers said on Tuesday. "When that happens, that is basket interference. To have a successful field goal, it must clear the net. We have since come in here and looked at the play. He dunked it so hard that the net carried it back over the rim a second time, so in fact it did clear the net and should have been a successful field goal.”

The Rockets were reportedly “optimistic” that the NBA would take action without a protest being necessary, but the team is motivated to file one if needed to ensure a decision is made. In protesting, Houston's hope is that it would be awarded the win because, had that dunk counted, it would've had the lead at the end of regulation. If not, the Rockets hope a successful protest would allow them to replay the final 7:50 of the game at a later date.

The NBA has reportedly “scoffed” at the Rockets being awarded a victory. The Rockets must file a protest within 48 hours of a game’s end.

If Harden’s dunk was ruled a proper field goal, the Rockets would have held a 103-89 lead with 7:50 left in regulation. The Spurs instead went on to tie the game and win in double overtime.

"I heard that they said the ball hit James and went back through, so it was a goaltend on James,” Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said after the game. “I challenged that, and I didn't get a response. Then another guy said it wasn't a goaltend; it went out of bounds on us. And I said, 'Well, I challenge that.' Can't do that. You know, I don't know, to answer your question. I've got nothing. I can't tell you."

A part of an NBA game has not been replayed since 2008, when it was incorrectly ruled that Shaquille O’Neal fouled out. The final 51.9 seconds were replayed the next time the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks met.