HOUSTON – Could James Harden's missed dunk — which actually should have counted — in Tuesday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs actually be reversed?
That could be the case as ESPN is reporting that the Houston Rockets are hopeful the league actually counts the basket and either gives the Rockets the win or has the two teams play the last eight minutes.
The Rockets lost to the Spurs 135-133 in double overtime on Tuesday but if that basket would have counted the Rockets would have actually won in regulation.
As you can see in the video below, Harden’s dunk went in the net and then over the rim and then bounced out.
Here’s a look at the dunk.
ESPN reported that crew chief James Capers told a pool reporter the following after the game: "When the play happened, Harden goes in for a dunk, and then the ball appears to us to pop back through the net. When that happens, that is basket interference. To have a successful field goal, it must clear the net. We have since come in here and looked at the play. He dunked it so hard that the net carried it back over the rim a second time, so in fact it did clear the net and should have been a successful field goal.”
About the game
Lonnie Walker IV had a career-high 28 points and the Spurs overcame Harden’s 50 points by rallying from a late 10-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 135-133 in double overtime Tuesday night.
DeMar DeRozan added 23 points, nine assists and five rebounds as the Spurs won their second straight at home and snapped the Rockets’ two-game winning streak.
Harden played a season-high 49 minutes coming off a 60-point outing Saturday over three quarters against Atlanta.
He was whistled for two charges in the second overtime. The second came against DeRozan with 0.8 seconds remaining, sealing San Antonio’s victory.
The Rockets led by 22 in the second half and were up double digits in the fourth quarter for all but the final 4:18.
Harden had six points in the second overtime, including a follow of Clint Capela’s missed free throw with 1:41 remaining to put Houston up 131-128.
Bryn Forbes tied it at 131 with a 3-pointer, and the teams traded free throws the remainder of the game.
DeRozan was 3 for 4 on free throws in the final 30 seconds.
Capela had 22 points and 21 rebounds, and Austin Rivers and Russell Westbrook added 19 points each for Houston. Westbrook was 7-of-30 shooting but added 10 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Spurs were without starting power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who missed his second straight game with a sore right thigh.
Houston outscored San Antonio 7-2 in the final two minutes of overtime to force a second OT. Harden’s runner bounded off the backboard and rim as the first overtime ended.