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NBA last two-minute report reveals multiple missed calls that swung Hornets loss to 76ers in Philadelphia

Matt Alquiza

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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The Charlotte Hornets almost pulled off a miraculous comeback in Philadelphia on Monday night. Down double-dights to start the fourth quarter, things were looking bleak for Charles Lee's squad that rode into the City of Brotherly Love on a two-game winning streak.

Then, LaMelo Ball happened.

The NBA's premiere crunch-time scorer led an electric Hornets comeback that he capped off with a fading, one-of-one corner three-point shot to tie the contest, that eventually went to overtime, at 98 with 8.0 seconds showing on the fourth quarter game clock. Charlotte and Philadelphia exchanged haymakers in overtime, with the Sixers eventually sporting a one-point lead with 16 seconds on the overtime clock. Ball stripped rookie guard Jared McCain (who was playing the game of his life), and was originally called for a foul before the referees went to the monitor and (correctly) overturned the call, allowing Charlotte to gain control of the rock on a jump ball. The ensuing offensive possession is where a missed call really burned the Hornets.

Coach Lee drew up a beautiful set out of the timeout that ended with Brandon Miller wide open for a three-pointer that would have given his Hornets the lead. Miller's shot clanked off the rim, but mercifully, it fell right into the waiting arms of Seth Curry, who ripped it out of Guerschon Yabusele's hulking paws. A loose-ball foul was wrongly called on Curry, awarding two free throws to Yabusele, and more importantly, moving the ball to the Hornets defensive side of the floor.

The last two-minute report states: "Curry makes clean contact with the ball to steal it away from Yabusele during the rebound." It should have been a clean offensive rebound, and Charlotte should have had a second look at a potential overtime game-winner. Check out the play below.

The other missed call that went against Charlotte was an uncalled three-second violation against the aforementioned Yabusele with 1:16 left on the fourth quarter clock. Charlotte, still down five at the time, could have used every single point in the close contest, and the correct call in that moment would have awarded the Hornets a free throw that could have swung the tight game.

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Matt Alquiza
MATT ALQUIZA

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