Houston Rockets should have gotten the win over the Denver Nuggets in the last 2.3 seconds but then the latter was rewarded with a free throw after what Ime Udoka thought was a phantom call. The game went into overtime and Nuggets win, 128-125.
The Rockets coach can’t hide his frustration in the officiating. It was not just the call on foul call away from play handed to Amen Thompson that led to Jamal Murray’s game-tying free throw before the end of the regulation. He thought the whole game was badly officiated.
He said two of the three officials did not do their job well and were mostly statrstruck.
“Just in general, I think, most poorly officiated game I’ve seen in a long time,” Udoka said after the game.
“Officials Natalie Sago and Jamahl Ralls] have no business being out there, and [crew chief Zach Zarba] was acting starstruck. You’re seeing all kind of inconsistent calls, and I’m sure we should’ve gotten a few more techs.”
Ime Udoka on the refs
“Two of them should be working at McDonald’s and the Crew Chief should probably go home with Jokic tonight”
— . (@Kd7_Szn) December 16, 2025
Ime Udoka’s frustration validated by NBA
Udoka might have a point here. The game was for anybody’s taking and the refs gave it to the Nuggets with crucial wrong calls.
The Last 2 Minute Report released on Tuesday says the officials committed a number of missed calls and three of them were crucial to the result of the game.
First, it said that Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson should have not been handed a foul call around 1:40 leading. KD blocked Nikola Jokic but it was ruled a violation of contact on a player’s shooting.
The report also said that Tim Hardaway Jr. got away with his shoving of Alperen Sengun when the score was just one possession away for the Rockets.
Lastly, the officials also got it wrong when flagged Thompson for a personal foul against Jamal Murray while attempting a steal. It led to two Jamal Murray free throws that basically locked the win for his team.
With the loss, the Rockets fall to fifth place in the Western Conference standings. They could have tightened their grip to no. 2 if they got the win.
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