Overturned Call Made Richard Jefferson Question Everything He Knew About Basketball
When Michael Malone decided to challenge a clear foul by Michael Porter Jr. on D’Angelo Russell, fans thought it was weird and would be unsuccessful. However, to the dismay of many in the sports world, they won the challenge.
Despite Russell getting struck in the face, the referees overturned it, and Porter was no longer called for the foul. This shocked Richard Jefferson to the point where he was questioning his own basketball knowledge.
“But that play right there, I’m just confused. I will never understand. That makes me question everything I know about basketball.” While the game didn’t end on this foul, rather a Jamal Murray game-winner, it is still perplexing how the refs just decided to reserve the call in its entirety after going to review it.
Here’s the full quote by Jefferson:
“I just want to talk about one specific play call and why I’m just confused by that,” Jefferson said. “If a player can jump up, ball can be gone, you can swing through and hit them in the face and that be marginal contact, then you’re allowed to hit 3-point shooters the same way – in their face. That’s the part I just do not understand.
“And then to review it and then to come back – we’re not saying it should be upgraded to a flagrant. We’re not saying anything. But, to reverse the call that was made on the court and say if the ball is gone, and there was marginal contact. He got hit in the face, wasn’t a flagrant, just a simple foul. But that play right there, I’m just confused. I will never understand. That makes me question everything I know about basketball.”
Both teams travel to Los Angeles to play Game 3 on Thursday at 7:00 PM / 10:00 PM EST.
