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Austin Reaves congratulates Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers after his winning jumpshot defeated the Denver Nuggets 127-125 in overtime.
The Los Angeles Lakers escaped with a crucial victory Saturday night, but the NBA later acknowledged that a pivotal call late in regulation should never have happened.
According to the league’s Last Two Minute Report released Sunday, officials incorrectly ruled a foul on Spencer Jones during a late defensive play against Austin Reaves — a decision that helped the Lakers force overtime before ultimately defeating the Denver Nuggets 127–125.
The report determined that Jones cleanly stripped the ball from Reaves with 9.2 seconds remaining in regulation and Denver leading 116–113.
“Jones extends his right hand and cleanly dislodges the ball away from Reaves after he received the inbound pass,” the NBA wrote in its review.
Instead of awarding Denver possession after the strip, officials called a foul and sent Reaves to the free-throw line.
Reaves Turned Opportunity Into Game-Changing Lakers Play
The controversial call became the catalyst for one of the most memorable endings of the season.
Reaves made the first free throw to cut Denver’s lead before executing a rare late-game strategy moments later.
With the Nuggets intentionally fouling to prevent a tying three-pointer, Reaves deliberately missed his second free throw, corralled the rebound and floated in the tying basket with 1.9 seconds left.
“I thought if I threw it fast enough, that Jokic wouldn’t have time to get his hands up to grab the ball,” Reaves said, referencing Nikola Jokić.
The stunning play forced overtime.
Lakers star Luka Dončić called the sequence flawless.
“That execution was perfection,” Dončić said.
Dončić Seals the Win
Dončić delivered the final blow in overtime.
With the game tied late in the extra period, the five-time All-Star created space and knocked down a 17-foot fall-away jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining, lifting Los Angeles to the dramatic victory.
Dončić finished with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, recording his eighth triple-double of the season.
The Lakers star also blocked a desperation heave from Tim Hardaway Jr. following a timeout.
Win Carries Major Playoff Implications
The victory significantly impacted the Western Conference standings.
The Lakers improved to 42–25, moving into sole possession of the No. 3 seed in the West.
Denver fell to 41–27, leaving the Nuggets 1.5 games behind Los Angeles in fifth place as the playoff race tightens entering the final stretch of the regular season.
Nuggets Still Credit Lakers’ Execution
Despite the controversial call acknowledged by the NBA, Denver players still credited the Lakers for capitalizing on the opportunity.
“Great play,” said Aaron Gordon. “He’s a skilled player. Tip your cap to him.”
Nuggets coach David Adelman called the execution extremely rare.
“That’s one in a hundred in the NBA,” Adelman said.
Jokić added that Reaves benefited from a perfect rebound bounce.
“He got a perfect bounce,” Jokić said. “He got the ball and made the floater.”
Controversy Adds Layer to Thriller
While the Lakers celebrated the victory, the NBA’s admission that the strip was legal raises questions about how the final seconds of regulation might have unfolded if the correct call had been made.
Instead, Los Angeles turned the moment into a dramatic comeback win — one that could ultimately shape the Western Conference playoff race.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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