NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Pelicans' franchise-worst 13th consecutive loss came with very unlucky circumstances late in regulation.
With the score tied at 93, Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie stepped back and fired a 30-foot 3-pointer as the shot clock ticked down. Just as the shot hit the backboard, the horn sounded for a violation.
No call was made despite the ball hitting the backboard to the right of the square without touching the rim, and Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball attempted to corral the rebound and get it up to Josh Hart, but time expired.
The officiating crew ruled the ball hit the rim, and thus no call was made on the floor. In overtime, the Nets beat the Pelicans 108-101.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said it was "the wrong call."
"The ball clearly did not hit the rim, and all they had to do was go over and review it to see that it didn't hit the rim," Gentry said. "There was at least 2.7 seconds left to go in the game after it didn't hit the rim, and that was a shot clock violation. I asked them to review it three times. They said it clearly hit the rim.
"It would have taken five seconds to see that it didn't. I mean, that's all that needs to be said about it. It was clearly a ball that did not hit the rim. You guys saw it. Everybody saw it. I have no idea why they didn't go over and review it. I don't know if this is the correct thing or not, but I thought that at the end of the game, or in situations like that, there would always be a review."
In the pool report following the game, crew chief Kevin Scott said, "At the time, the crew was reasonably certain the ball made contact with the rim."
When asked why that play was not reviewable, Scott said, "It was not reviewable because the play was not immediately blown dead after the change of possession, therefore the window to review expired."
Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday said he wasn't given an explanation on the court of what happened. Forward Brandon Ingram said he didn't get a full one either.
"I don't know what happened," Ingram said. "Some people said it hit the rim, and some people said it didn't hit the rim. I'm not sure. I didn't get an explanation."
The loss extended New Orleans' franchise-worst losing streak, which the team set in a loss to Orlando on Sunday. Despite the loss, Gentry tried to look at some positives for his 6-22 club heading into a four-game road trip that starts Wednesday in Minnesota and ends on Christmas Day in Denver.
"We just have to find something tangible, and I know I keep saying that," Gentry said. "The guys were competing and playing hard. This was probably our best defensive game against a really good offensive team who shoots the ball well. I thought we were into the ball. I thought we did a good job in our rotations. They made some tough shots in overtime and down the stretch, but I don't think we got discouraged. I thought we still played well and battled and just came up short."
Brooklyn quickly jumped out to a four-point lead in the overtime period and never trailed. Nets forward Joe Harris helped to put the game away with a 3-pointer in the corner to put Brooklyn up six with 1:28 to play.
Gentry said he didn't think the lack of review deflated his club at the end, but instead he gave credit to Brooklyn for making plays.
"We played hard as heck," Gentry said. "Joe Harris made a couple of really tough shots with guys in his face. We had one breakdown on an out-of-bounds underneath play with Jarrett Allen. But once again, you're talking about a young player [Jaxson Hayes] who will learn. Every day for Jaxson is a learning experience for something he'll get better at."
As he finished talking about Hayes' performance, Gentry finished his news conference wondering about the call that wasn't.
"I don't know why it wasn't reviewed," Gentry said. "I don't why you couldn't walk over to the table and take five seconds to review it and go, 'No, it didn't hit the rim.' That's all I'm saying."