NBA agrees officials made incorrect call in Mavericks’ loss to Pelicans

The NBA agreed that a crucial call in Saturday’s game that went against the Dallas Mavericks was an incorrect one.

And by all accounts, the Mavs believe that erroneous call may have cost them a game they eventually lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 105-98 at American Airlines Center.

On the play in question, the Mavs trailed New Orleans 99-96 with 1:10 remaining in the game when Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson drove to the baseline and was sent to the free-throw line after a foul was whistled against center Zaza Pachulia.

Replays clearly show that Pachulia didn’t make any contact with Anderson, who made both to give the Pelicans a 101-96 cushion.

On Sunday, on the NBA Officiating Last Two Minute Report — the league’s assessment of officiated events that happened in the last two minutes of a game that was within five points at the time — the NBA agreed that the foul against Pachulia was an incorrect call.

“I saw it on the TV screen — [Pachulia] didn’t hit him,” Nowitzki said. “To me that’s the game right there.

“It’s almost over a minute [remaining] and it goes from [a] three [point deficit] to [a] five [point deficit] and you’re basically reaching to get back in the game. If you make that call you’ve got to be a thousand percent sure he actually hit him. Other than that, you just blew the game.”

After Saturday’s game, coach Rick Carlisle chose his words carefully when asked about the foul whistled against Pachulia.

“He got a couple of calls,” Carlisle said of Anderson. “I haven’t looked at the replays. But I’m not going to give away $35 grand right now if it’s all the same to you.’’

Nowitzki, however, was matter-of-fact in his remarks.

“Obviously that’s emotions speaking,” Nowitzki said. “One [bad call] doesn’t really win or lose the game, it’s just like one shot doesn’t win or lose the game.

“It’s 48 minutes where we made mistakes, where we had brutal turnovers again, especially there in the first half. But that’s a tough call. I told him that’s like me missing a buzzer beater.”

Backcourt hobbled

As the Mavs prepare to host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, injuries to guards Deron Williams and Devin Harris have put an obvious strain on their backcourt.

Williams left Saturday’s game for good in the third quarter with tightness in his left hamstring. That came after Williams returned to play in Friday’s game in Miami after he missed the previous four games with a strained left hamstring.

Harris, meanwhile, left the game against Miami with a strained back and sat out Saturday’s contest against the Pelicans.

Carlisle said he didn’t think the injury to Harris was serious, and was hoping the injury to Williams isn’t either. Either way, veterans J.J. Barea and Raymond Felton will now get the bulk of playing time in the backcourt, with John Jenkins playing a fill-in role.

“I hope D-Will is not that bad and Devin gets back quick,” Barea said. “But I’m always ready. Whatever they need me to do, I’m going to go out there every night and give my best. It’s going to be me and Ray.”

This story was originally published January 3, 2016 at 9:01 PM with the headline "NBA agrees officials made incorrect call in Mavericks’ loss to Pelicans."