The San Antonio Spurs clutched up for a road win on Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings, but might have had just a little bit of help from the referees to secure the victory.
It all went down in the closing seconds with the Spurs trying to ice the game at the free throw line. Up by three points with just under 10 seconds to go, Keldon Johnson missed a free throw. With All-Star center Domantas Sabonis trying to box out Victor Wembanyama for the rebound, Wemby reached over the top of Sabonis to tap the ball back out where San Antonio collected the ball and clinched the win.
Except Wemby might have gotten away with some slight contact. And by slight contact, I mean to say that he put Sabonis in a sleeper hold that would have made “Rowdy” Roddy Piper proud.
On the Kings home broadcast, analyst Kayte Christensen couldn’t believe that no whistle was blown and tore into the officials for what she deemed a “travesty.”
Sabonis was wearing Wemby on his back and the refs missed it 😮 #NBA pic.twitter.com/sfr1ynYXy2
— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) December 2, 2024
“It looked live like it was an over-the-back call… you see that right there? He’s got his arm around his neck! That is a travesty. He did everything you’re supposed to do and he’s wearing Wembanyama like a backpack,” Christensen said.
Mark Jones was on the play-by-play and echoed Christensen’s observation that Wemby’s arm was around Sabonis’ neck. It’s a pretty blatant miss from the refs and it could have kept the Kings alive in their last second comeback attempt.
Alas, all we can ask for now is for the NBA to include verbatim that “Sabonis was wearing Wembanyama like a backpack” in the last two minute report for the game for the Kings to take some solace.
