NBA Denies Dallas Mavericks Protest of Loss To Golden State Warriors

One of the Dallas Mavericks' last, desperate chances at a postseason berth has gone up in smoke. The NBA officially denied the team's protest of their controversial March 22nd 127-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/IFGhu95lug
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 6, 2023

The Mavericks' dispute stems from a mid-game misunderstanding in which the Mavericks (and their announcers) had incorrectly inferred they had been rewarded possession after an out-of-bounds call. As a result, the Warriors scored an uncontested basket.

By all accounts, the referees were correct in awarding the Warriors possession. Still, the Mavericks asserted that the confusion surrounding the call deprived them of a fair chance to win the game. Though the incident occurred with 14 minutes remaining in the game, the Mavericks eventually lost by only two points. However, they did hold the lead at various points following the confusion, so the NBA countered that the call didn't prevent a possible win.

The Mavericks' protest was always a long shot; of the 44 known protests in the history of the NBA, only six have succeeded. Still, it was worth a try. As things stand, the Mavericks are 38-42 and 11th in the Western Conference. If their result against the Warriors had been overturned, they would have had a chance at the play-in tournament. Now, with only two games remaining on the schedule, they may be on the outside looking in.