Nuggets seal overtime win at United Center after big call from officials.
The Denver Nuggets secured a 119-118 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Monday night, but the match was not without controversy.
The Nuggets made it 12 consecutive wins in the league, as the Bulls were denied the lead with just 1.7 seconds left when Joakim Noah’s tip in was adjudged to have been offensive goaltending.
Despite missing Taj Gibson, Rip Hamilton, Kirk Hinrick and Derrick Rose, Chicago fought hard to keep up with the second most in-form team in the NBA, but came up short despite Nate Robinson’s season-high 34 points.
The controversy started with 46.4 seconds remaining in overtime, as Denver’s Kosta Koufos tipped in a shot from Ty Lawson as the ball appeared to be sitting on the rim when he did so. There was no call on the play and the officials did not review it.
Seconds later, Noah’s tip in was not called either, but after the Nuggets took an immediate time-out after the basket, the officials reviewed the play during the break and deemed it as goal-tending.
Much to the fury of Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, it ultimately cost them the game as they now sit in sixth spot in the Eastern Conference.
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