For the first time in their history, the Denver Nuggets are NBA Champions. They completed the 4-1 series victory by defeating the Miami Heat 94-89 on Monday night. They did so despite being on the wrong end of a nonsensical replay review in the game’s final minutes.
With the Nuggets nursing a four-point lead, Miami’s Jimmy Butler attempted a three-point shot. The shot missed and Butler fell to the ground, which led to Denver’s Aaron Gordon getting called for a foul.
The Nuggets quickly challenged the foul and looking at the replay, it seemed likely that Denver would win the challenge. Gordon and his teammate, Michael Porter Jr., gave Butler a place to land. Additionally, the only contact on the play was initiated by Butler, who swung his right foot and kicked Gordon in the groin.
Despite that, the call was upheld.
"I totally disagree."- Mark Jackson
"It's just wrong."- Jeff Van Gundy
"I just don't know what Aaron Gordon is supposed to do when a guy kicks you."- JVG
"I can make a case… that it's a flagrant on Jimmy Butler."- MJ
"Right, kicking him in the groin."- JVG #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/2HyKfUYseN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 13, 2023
The game’s announcers were not the only people perplexed by the call. The NBA world was left completely baffled at what the referees were looking at.
Hey remember the Finals game when denver was about to win in then Butler kicked Aaron Gordon in the balls on a 3 and the refs reviewed it and said it was a foul on Gordon?
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 13, 2023
Wow….that Butler kick to Gordon's privates ruled a foul is a super duper atrocious call #NBAFinals
— FitzyGFY 🍺 (brew checkmark) (@FitzyGFY) June 13, 2023
Aaron Gordon clearly fouled Jimmy Butler’s foot with his cojones.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 13, 2023
If they're gonna give Jimmy Butler free throw attempts for kicking Aaron Gordon in the nuts then I quit
— Kevin (Only Jokic can save us now) (@_Kevlar23_) June 13, 2023
The worst part of that Butler/Gordon foul is that Butler made all 3 free throws, demonstrating that ball does, in fact, sometimes lie
— Zach Kram (@zachkram) June 13, 2023
Jimmy Butler:
Officials: this is clearly a foul on Aaron Gordon pic.twitter.com/onPFY1eOG6
— Jarvis (@jarvis_best) June 13, 2023
Fortunately for the Nuggets, the call didn’t end up swinging the result of the game. Butler did make all three free throws and even made a jumper on the next possession and two free throws on the one after, putting the Heat ahead both times. But from there, Denver took over, scoring the last six points of the game for the win.
But while this call didn’t sway a championship, or even a game, it could have. The Nuggets and basketball fans are right to be frustrated.
[Photo Credit: ABC]
