The NBA has fined Rockets head coach Ime Udoka $25K for his public criticism of the officiating after Monday’s overtime loss to the Nuggets, per a league press release (Twitter link).
Speaking to reporters after Monday’s game, Udoka referred to it as “the most poorly officiated game I’ve seen in a long time” (Twitter video link via Vanessa Richardson).
“Two (referees) have no business being out there and the crew chief was acting star-struck,” Udoka said. “You’re seeing all kinds of inconsistent calls.”
While the Nuggets were whistled for more total fouls (28) than the Rockets (25) on the night, the league’s last two minute report for the game indicated that the only three incorrect calls made in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime benefited Denver.
That report stated that Rockets forward Kevin Durant shouldn’t have been called for a foul on Nikola Jokic with 1:40 left in overtime (video link); Nuggets wing Tim Hardaway Jr. should have been whistled for a loose ball foul on Alperen Sengun with 1:08 remaining in overtime (video link); and a foul was incorrectly called on Rockets guard Amen Thompson with 47 seconds left in OT (video link).
Those Durant and Thompson fouls resulted in four made free throws by Jokic and Jamal Murray, which represented the difference in a game that Denver won by three points.