The NBA's Last Two Minute Report on the Kings' season-opening loss to the Suns has revealed that the officials made two major mistakes that impacted the game. It's yet another setback in a season that's only two games in, and is somehow already riddled with bad luck.
The Sacramento Kings already had an uphill battle ahead of them in 2025-2026. Recovering from the debacle of last season is going to take an incredible amount of work. The roster is still a little wonky, but the Kings have the talent and the tenacity to make it work. Assuming they can catch a break.
Starting in the preseason, the Kings have been at odds with their own luck. A series of injuries kept several players out of some preseason games as well as the season opener. Not enough? An illness running through the roster has caused its own problems.
Then, things got worse in the first game of the season. The Kings dropped a tough loss on the road to the Phoenix Suns after blowing a 20-point lead. Plus, they lost Nique Clifford, their standout rookie and starting five replacement for Keegan Murray, to a hamstring strain. It gets even worse than that.
NBA admits ref botches against the Kings
When a game is at or within three points during the last two minutes of a game, NBA Officiating issues a report that covers that time. It's called the Last Two Minute Report, which might be the most on-the-nose name for a report of all time.
In their report for the Kings/Suns game, the league pointed out two referee mistakes. First, the Suns' Mark Williams should have been called for a defensive three-second violation, but wasn't. Second, Zach LaVine drilled a late three-point shot that was incorrectly ruled a two-point shot.
Being that the final score was separated by four points, these two calls could have impacted the outcome of the game. LaVine getting his three-pointer would have cut the lead to one possession. And the call on Williams would have given the Kings a free throw and possession of the ball.
To be frank, it's the Kings' fault they were in that position at all. They dominated the first half only to let their lead slip away in the second. At the same time, it's rough to know that they had an opportunity to still pick up a win that was lost to bad officiating.