Controversy over Jimmy Butler's foul at the end of Game 6: Was the referee right or wrong?
Referring to the end of Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Finals, most basketball fans will talk about Derrick White's tip-in buzzer-beater that brought victory.
He touched the ball with just 0.2 seconds to go for the first game-winner of his career, saving the Boston Celtics' entire season and taking the series to Game 7.
However, right before that attack situation, another ball phase caused quite a bit of controversy and made a part of Miami Heat fans angry.
This foul alone brings 4 controversial points and has been hotly discussed on social networks over the past 24 hours:
- Jimmy Butler seemed to have picked up the ball but then let it slip and regained it before going into the throw. Many fans think that Butler should be blown for breaking the double-dribble rule.
- Al Horford's foul was initially determined by the referee to be a 2 point error. Slow-motion video shows Butler when making the throw movement standing outside the 3-point line and the referee changed his mind.
- Some viewers thought that Horford fouled Butler before he made the throw, so the Miami Heat player should only be awarded 2 free kicks (because Boston committed more than 5 team fouls).
This number is extremely important because the Heat then lost the match with a tip-in buzzer-beater. Just 0.1 or 0.2 seconds can make a huge difference, directly affecting the validity of the late game-winner phase.
Going a little deeper into the situation plus time, referee Josh TVn initially blew the whistle to blow Al Horford with 2.1 seconds left, Jimmy Butler would have been awarded two free kicks.
Former referee Monty McCutchen, now vice president of NBA referee training and development, told ESPN about the situation:
“According to NBA rules, the referees will default to the technical area to check if it is a 2-point or 3-point foul. Therefore Butler will definitely receive 3 penalties.
The difference here is the decision to use Coach's Challenge by Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. Instead of determining whether the ball on the ball is a 2-point or 3-point error, the umpires can review the entire situation to accurately determine all the surrounding factors.
They saw Horford's hand collide with Butler's hand with 3 seconds remaining, so the time was adjusted to 3 seconds, adding 0.9 seconds to the game clock."
It was this extra 0.9 seconds that directly affected the outcome of Game 6, especially in Derrick White's winning tip-in.
The ball left the Boston defender's hand when the time was only 0.2 seconds. If the number above is not 3.0 but 2.7 or 2.8 seconds, then White's tip-in is probably invalid.
With the score currently 3-3, Game 7 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Finals series between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat will take place at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 30.
