The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have been playing a tight, back-and-forth Western Conference Finals. But in Game 5, the officiating crew became part of the story in the worst way possible.
According to video posted by @Rate_the_Refs on X, referee James Capers refused to give Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson a timeout to challenge an out-of-bounds call late in the third quarter.
The ball had clearly gone off Chet Holmgren’s foot, but the refs kept play going. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got to the free-throw line, and when Johnson kept pressing, crew chief Tony Brothers hit him with a technical foul.
That sequence alone had Spurs fans losing their minds. But it wasn’t the only call that felt like a gut punch for San Antonio.
Later in the game, Luke Kornet tapped a ball into the basket, and an OKC player swatted it away after it had already passed the rim. By rule, that’s goaltending. The basket should have counted. The officials saw it differently and let it go, leaving the Spurs with no bucket and no recourse.
Spurs Paid the Price for Bad Officiating at a Critical Moment
GettyMitch Johnson Couldn’t Believe What Officials Just Did to the Spurs
The timing of both calls couldn’t have been worse. San Antonio came into Game 5 riding real momentum after blowing out OKC 103-82 in Game 4 to even the series at 2-2. A road win here would have put them one step closer to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.
Instead, the Spurs lost ground in a game where momentum swings mattered. OKC won Game 5 by a final score of 127-114, taking a 3-2 series lead. The missed goaltending call and the blocked challenge both came at moments when San Antonio needed to stay within striking distance.
Johnson and the Spurs now have to win Game 6 back home just to force a Game 7. Victor Wembanyama has been phenomenal this series, averaging 30.3 points and 13.3 rebounds through four games. The talent is there. But when the officials make calls that contradict what’s right in front of their eyes, no amount of talent fully covers for it.
Game 6 is scheduled for back in San Antonio. The Spurs have won at home before in this series. They’ll need to do it again, or their season is done.
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