Damian Lillard Lashes out at the Referees “It Cost Us a F***Ing Game, Man”

An uncalled goaltend that may have cost the Portland Trail Blazers a critical game on Friday. Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard drove to the basket for what would have been a game-tying layup with 11.2 seconds remaining in the game. Lillard’s shot hit the glass before Rudy Gobert swatted the ball, which is a clear goaltend violation that went uncalled.

Down 116-114 with 13 seconds left, Damian Lillard (who had 42 points) drove the lane and tried to finish over Royce O’Neale. He got the ball on the glass … and Rudy Gobert blocked it from there. A clear goaltend.

However, the play was not reviewed. The officials must make the goaltend call to trigger a review. The officials, unbelievably, told the Blazers it wasn’t even close to a goaltend.  If a goaltend is not called on the floor, it cannot be reviewed.

The director of security official Rick Riley restrained Lillard from approaching the referees.

“Gobert (UTA) makes contact with Lillard’s (POR) shot attempt after it hits the backboard and still has a chance to score. Goaltending is only a reviewable matter when it is whistled on the floor by officials.”

The second part of that became the issue. The referees didn’t call anything. Therefore by the NBA’s rules, there is nothing to review.

Damian Lillard Comes At the Referees

Bojan Bogdanovic hit one free throw to go up 117-114. Portland missed a three. Lillard came for the refs. The refs admitted the mistake to the pool reporter after the game.

“We get to the last play of the game, and they miss an easy call,” Lillard said during his postgame address after the 117-114 loss. “And then they tell us that’s an easy no-call, like that was obviously not a goaltend. It cost us a f—ing game, man.”

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard will not be fined by the league for his postgame remarks and tweets directed at officials following a missed goaltend that resulted in a loss to the Utah Jazz.

The loss dropped the Trail Blazers to 24-29, two and a half games back of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Portland is a team battling through numerous injuries to key players. Lillard’s 42-point outburst was spoiled.