The Oklahoma City Thunder lost in heartbreaking fashion against the Golden State Warriors on Friday in their first in-season tournament game, 141-139.
Without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder went toe-to-toe against the veteran Warriors in the high-scoring affair. It looked like the game was going to go into overtime before a controversial overturned call ended the contest.
On a Steph Curry shot attempt, Draymond Green was initially called for offensive goaltend that would’ve wiped away their lead and kept the game tied at 139 apiece with less than a second left.
Instead, a lengthy review resulted in the call being overturned to a basket for Golden State as the referees explained Josh Giddey touched the net before Green did.
After the game, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault explained that Green’s touch didn’t impact the play, which added fuel to the fire as the controversial call caused an uproar on social media.
Let’s look at some of the best posts reacting to the final call on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Draymond was called for a goaltend on Steph's potential game-winner 😳
It was overturned after review. pic.twitter.com/QSALmjsei7
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2023
Wild finish in Oklahoma City. Steph Curry game-winning floater initially waved off because of Draymond Green basket interference. Lengthy review. Call overturned. Currently being credited to Draymond for a tapback. Warriors win 141-139. They're 4-0 on the road.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 4, 2023
Officially being credited as a Steph Curry game-winner. Sounds like they ruled that Josh Giddey grabbed the net before Draymond Green interference, meaning Curry basket counts. https://t.co/XflGoGr0Vh
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 4, 2023
Here is Draymond Green’s perspective on that wild late-game goaltend overturn and Curry game-winner pic.twitter.com/coxzsAwLlM
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 4, 2023
CURRY GAME-WINNER 🔥🤯
This was called not a goaltend on Draymond pic.twitter.com/xYlqcr0iao
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 4, 2023
It should've been a goaltend https://t.co/t6qkKMEBiS
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) November 4, 2023
Warriors get the most favorable calls in NBA history.
How is this NOT a goaltend?
Never in my life have I seen a player touch the rim and them NOT call it goaltending.
Someone needs to explain how every other time a player has touched the rim it's goaltending except now. pic.twitter.com/jKBGCRxbvj
— Uncovering the Truth (@shendy456) November 4, 2023
The referees say this goaltending call on Draymond Green has been overturned to NO GOALTEND 🤯 https://t.co/DbCjZmKhtg
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 4, 2023
"Hitting the rim is not a goaltend" 😁
Draymond was confident he didn't commit a penalty but knew he was at the mercy of the refs pic.twitter.com/YYXqqffIjI
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 4, 2023
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) November 4, 2023
Nawhh ain't no way the refs overturned this
Even the commentators are baffled 😭 https://t.co/ozGpkSNV6T
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) November 4, 2023
If the explanation from the NBA includes Giddey touching the net, the rule states that if a player from each team touches the rim, net or ball, that no points can be scored, and there is to be a jump ball at mid court
— Andrew Schlecht (@AndrewKSchlecht) November 4, 2023
Controversial ending aside…
Truly impressive game from this OKC team.
No SGA.
JDub fouls out.
Came down to one contentious bucket at the buzzer.
Dort/Chet/Giddey/JDub/Cason/Joe were excellent tonight.
Showed the potential of this core maybe more than any game this season.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) November 4, 2023
Looks like Draymond Green pushes Josh Giddey’s hand into the net for those wondering about Giddey touching the net:
pic.twitter.com/xll0U21rOz— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) November 4, 2023
giddey’s arm is pushed to the net.
what is he supposed to do
— TF (@ThunderFocus) November 4, 2023
Josh Giddey on the final bucket: “At the end of the day, I don’t think it should’ve came down to that for us.”
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) November 4, 2023
Pool report for tonight’s Warriors vs. Thunder game: pic.twitter.com/vDmZomVK00
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) November 4, 2023
"They said he touched the rim but not the extent that it impacted the play…I'm assuming they got that right."
Mark Daigneault after tonight's close loss. #ThunderUp @okcthunder 📺: BSOK pic.twitter.com/Y3rby2Ny0h
— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) November 4, 2023
"It's a shame that the game had to end on such a play like this."
Preach Michael 🗣️#ThunderUp @okcthunder 📺: BSOK @Exhoopsmc pic.twitter.com/BpPwLwc9ZV
— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) November 4, 2023
This was not ruled as offensive interference upon further review. You can be the judge 🤷♂️#ThunderUp @okcthunder 📺: BSOK pic.twitter.com/T41BPs4t8q
— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) November 4, 2023
Disbelief. Blasphemous. Egregious.#ThunderUp @okcthunder 📺: BSOK pic.twitter.com/GXhcZvI4sw
— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) November 4, 2023
Thunder got robbed.#ThunderUp
— Oklahoma City Police (@OKCPD) November 4, 2023
