Update on the Mavs' contentious loss to the Warriors protest

Update on the Mavs' contentious loss to the Warriors protest

The Dallas Mavericks' most discouraging stretch of their up-and-down 2022–23 season is currently in progress. Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the Mavs have dropped seven of their last eight games, including a demoralising 127-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors on March 22, which has caused them to drop all the way to the 11th spot in the Western Conference standings after spending the majority of the season in at least a play-in spot.

This loss against the Warriors stands out in especially because the Mavericks protested the game following a puzzling play in which it appeared that the officials failed to tell them who possessed the ball. The fact that they lost by just two points made the widest-open basket in NBA history all the more devastating.

And it appears like a decision regarding the Mavs' protest will be made soon. Marc Stein (subscription required) claims that the NBA can decide whether to allow the protest as soon as Monday (April 3). If the league decides that replaying the final two minutes of the third quarter and the entirety of the fourth is required based on the accumulated evidence, they will have until Friday (April 7) to accept or reject the objection.

According to Stein, despite the Mavs' loud objections following their defeat by the Warriors, they don't necessarily think that letting the NBA decide would be beneficial for the outcome of their season.And it appears like a decision regarding the Mavs' protest will be made soon. Marc Stein (subscription required) claims that the NBA can decide whether to allow the protest as soon as Monday (April 3). If the league decides that replaying the final two minutes of the third quarter and the entirety of the fourth is required based on the accumulated evidence, they will have until Friday (April 7) to accept or reject the objection.

Instinctively, Dallas is aware that the objection has little to no chance of being successful, but the procedure had to be followed, Stein wrote. The final quarter and the final two minutes of the third quarter must be replayed, unless you believe the league will require Golden State to find the time to come back to Dallas this week.

Only eight protested games in NBA history have been successful, with the most recent taking place in 2008 when the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat replayed the final 51.3 seconds of their match. The most recent unsuccessful protest, meanwhile, occurred in 2020 when the Mavs were unable to secure a rematch with the Hawks.