The Sacramento Kings visited the Chicago bulls for an inter-conference matchup last Saturday, Jan. 21, at the United Center. While the final buzzer would see the Chicago Bulls take a 102-99 victory, the score would be close until a rather controversial ending.
The Bulls would lead most of the way but the Kings would find a way to take a 2 point lead on DeMarcus Cousins bank shot with 52 seconds to go. Robin Lopez of the Bulls would tie the game on a tip in with 36 seconds left. On the following Kinds possession, Dwayne Wade would steal the ball and go for a dunk. Cousins would try to contest the shot but would be called for a foul.
Wade would only make 1 of 2 freethrows to give the Bulls a 1 point lead, but, on the ensuing possession, Wade would steal the ball yet again. This time he would find his teammate, Michael Carter-Williams, for an alley-oop to give the Bulls a 102-99 lead with 2.7 seconds left. Garrett Temple would have a final attempt at a 3 to tie the game but would miss it. Complete stats and play-by-play here.
The NBA would review the final two minutes of the game and would comment that "Cousins (SAC) had his hand on Wade's (CHI) back while he is airborne, but he does not extend his arm and push him and the contact does not affect the shot attempt." Not that any review or retracted call would over-turn the result of a game.
DeMarcus Cousins, who single-handedly lead his team with 42 points and 14 rebounds on 16-28 shooting, expressed his displeasure with the call sarcastically, as per ESPN's Nick Friedell, "I think they made the absolute right call. Incredible job by the referee crew tonight." And again, with the results of the review as he tweeted "Yeah thanks the team feels so much better now that it's cleared up!" - @boogiecousins via Twitter.
The Kings fall to 16-27 and have lost their last 5 games, winning only 2 of their last 10 while the Bulls improve to 22-23 and snap their 2-game losing streak. Dwayne Wade led the bulls with 30 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists while Jimmy Butler chipped in with 23 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. DeMarcus Cousins was the only King in double figures with his 42 points, followed by Aaron Afflalo with 9 and Garrett Temple, Darren Collison and Ty Lawson with 8 points each.
