Erik Spoelstra Reacts To Controversial 3-Point Call on Max Strus' Shot

Strus’ controversial three-point call may have affected the outcome of this matchup.

The Miami Heat were playing catchup for most of their Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics but that may not have been the case if it weren’t for one call made in the third quarter.

Max Strus hit a 3-pointer to cut the Celtics’ lead midway through the third quarter. However, several minutes later the call was overturned, and the points were taken off the board. Not only did it appear Strus’ heel did not go out of bounds, but the call was changed more than five minutes after it happened.

Many fans and analysts took to social media to discuss their confusion with the call being made.

AGAIN I ASK: WHAT IF THE NBA HADN'T WIPED OFF STRUS' THREE EARLY IN THE SECOND HALF. IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE HIS HEEL CAME DOWN ON THE LINE.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) May 30, 2022

Erasing that Max Strus three several minutes/possessions after it happened in a Game 7 is an NBA multiverse incursion event

— Pablo Torre 🕳️ (@PabloTorre) May 30, 2022

Head coach Erik Spoelstra also weighed in, saying that he was surprised by the nature of the call in the given situation.

“I was in shock,” Spoelstra said. “I was asking (assistant Chris Quinn) about that. The fact that it happened, three, four, five minutes later in game time, that does change the context of how you're playing. We were starting to gain some momentum. You feel like it's a seven to eight-point game and you look up and it's a 13-point game, and there's no other explanation for it other than it's gone back to the league offices. You feel like if it happens like that, it should happen immediately and you can adjust accordingly.”

Referee calls are always a subject of conversation in the fast-paced nature of the NBA, but this playoff series was emphasized by the number of bad calls being made by officials.

And this one may have been the biggest.

While it’s impossible to tell what would have happened if those points stayed on the board, there could have been a change in schematics down the stretch. Strus’ three swung the momentum in the Heat’s favor, which may have changed the way the rest of the quarter played out. More importantly, Miami surged late in the fourth quarter, cutting the Celtics’ double-digit lead to just two points with 11 seconds left. If Strus’ three would have counted, the Heat may have been leading at this point in the game.

Obviously with situations like this, there are always “What-ifs.” That is why the proper calls should be made on the floor, so there is no room for speculation with things like official interference.

Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.