The NBA on Tuesday said officials made three incorrect calls that favored the Nuggets in the last two minutes of Denver’s 128-125 overtime win over the Houston Rockets on Monday.
NBA Confirms Durant Blocked Jokic’s Shot
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was critical of the officiating after the game.
“Just in general, I think, most poorly officiated game I’ve seen in a long time,” Udoka said. “[Officials Natalie Sago and Jamahl Ralls] have no business being out there, and [crew chief Zach Zarba] was acting starstruck. You’re seeing all kind of inconsistent calls, and I’m sure we should’ve gotten a few more techs.”
Ime Udoka with his thoughts on the #Rockets OT loss to the Nuggets
It’s a must listen.@HoustonRockets play Denver again on Saturday pic.twitter.com/jzY0qff5mV
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) December 16, 2025
According to the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report, fouls against Houston’s Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson should not have been called, and one against the Nuggets’ Tim Hardaway Jr. should have been.
Durant was called for a foul after blocking Nikola Jokic’s shot attempt with 1:40 left in overtime, which gave the three-time MVP a pair of free throws that kept Denver ahead 126-121.
The NBA confirmed in its report Tuesday that it was a clean block.
Hardaway Committed Loose Ball Foul
For the next missed call, Hardaway was never whistled for shoving Alperen Sengun with just over one minute left, which should’ve resulted in a loose ball foul, according to the report.
Lastly, with 47 seconds left and the Nuggets up 126-122, Thompson should not have been called for a personal foul against Jamal Murray on a steal attempt. The call resulted in two free throws for Murray.
“I mean, it’s a physical game,” Murray said after the game of the officiating, per The Denver Post. “It’s tough for the refs to call both sides, like, dead even. I think they missed some calls on our end, and they missed some calls on their end, so I don’t really think that was an issue tonight.”
However, one of the most crucial calls in the game, a foul against Thompson for tripping Hardaway that resulted in a tying free throw for Denver in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter, was not mentioned in the report.
It was challenged by the Rockets during the game, but the call was upheld upon review. The play followed four ties and four lead changes in the final 1:40 of regulation.
