Kings Are Right To Protest Loss to the Grizzlies

Ever since the Kings lost to the Grizzlies on a heartbreaking last-second alley-oop to Courtney Lee, the Kings have protested that the Grizzlies didn’t earn that win, and upon further review, the Kings are right to protest the loss.

According to Fox Sports and the Associated Press, the NBA has released a statement that the Kings are protesting their loss to the Grizzlies. The Kings are arguing that the inbound pass that Grizzlies guard Vince Carter’s pass to Lee was tipped by Ryan Hollins.

With 0.3 seconds left on the clock, if Hollins would had tipped the ball, therefore altering the pass, the clock should had started, and time should had run out on the Grizzlies, thus giving the Kings the win.

Now, the Kings should not had been in that position in the first place, as the Kings were in control of the game throughout and let it slip away, but I went and looked at the video again, and if you look closely, it does appear that Hollins did indeed tip the ball, thus initiating the clock.

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So the Kings have a valid point in their protest to the league, but what it’s going to come down to is whether the video is conclusive enough to give the Kings the win. In my opinion it is, but in reality, the league office may not have sufficient video evidence to overturn the loss.

It also worth noting that the on-court officials checked as to whether or not Lee got the shot off on time, and whether it was tipped. All instant replays come from the NBA’s Replay Center in New York, so league officials will be going off of the same replays the game officials used, thus my skepticism that the league will rule in favor of the Kings.

The NBA will make their ruling on Dec. 2, and all Kings fans should hope that the league rule in favor of the Kings. The ball appeared to be tipped, and if it did, it should had been game over. So yes, the Kings are right to protest their loss.