Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka’s pocket will likely be a little bit lighter after he ripped the officiating following his team’s 128-125 overtime loss Monday to the Denver Nuggets. Udoka called it ‘the most poorly officiated game I’ve seen in a long time.’
With 2.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Nuggets down 117-116, Rockets guard Amen Thompson was whistled for a foul away from the action. After a Houston challenge was upheld, Denver guard Jamal Murray hit one free throw, sending the game into overtime after Nikola Jokić’s buzzer-beating 3-point miss.
Udoka called the foul on Thompson ‘ticky tack.’
‘Went along with the game tonight. Not surprised by the crew we had out there,’ he said.
Udoka wasn’t finished with his criticism of the officials during his postgame news conference, which will certainly draw the league’s attention and result in a fine.
‘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.’
Zarba has been officiating NBA games for 23 seasons, Sago is working in her eighth year in the league, and Ralls is beginning his second campaign as a league official.
During the game, Denver was called for 28 fouls and made 27 of 33 from the free throw line. Houston had 25 fouls, making 19 of its 26 from the charity stripe.