DALLAS — The Mavericks are officially protesting a controversial call in Wednesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Dallas Morning News on Friday.
Dallas paid a $10,000 fee to file the formal paperwork with the league office Friday, within the NBA’s required 48-hour deadline after the game’s conclusion.
The call Wednesday resulted in confusion for the Mavericks, who continued to insist Thursday that as they headed to the bench for the timeout, they fully believed they would have possession when the timeout ended.
Instead, the Warriors scored an uncontested basket, and Dallas lost by two points.
Dallas’ primary point of contention is that the referee crew should have paused the game and resolved the confusion when both teams lined up in offensive sets.
“We were under the impression that it was our ball,” Mavs forward Josh Green said after the game. “That’s what the referees told us. Usually, you go by what the referee tells you to do.”
According to the league’s protest guidelines, “[NBA commissioner Adam Silver] shall at once notify the member operating the opposing team in the game protested and require both of said members within five (5) days to file with him such evidence as he may desire bearing upon the issue. The Commissioner shall decide the question raised within five (5) days after receipt of such evidence.”
If the Mavericks’ protest succeeds, the $10,000 would be returned, but history and odds are not in Dallas’ favor.
According to the NBA’s best-available records, there have been 45 protests dating to the first recorded protest in 1952. Only six protests have been upheld (13.3%).
