Angry NBA fans slam ref for ignoring Mitch Johnson’s challenge on wrong call in Chet Holmgren’s favor
· Yahoo Sports
Mitch Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs were left furious after officials ignored his challenge request on a call that favored Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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The controversy came at the worst possible time for San Antonio. The Spurs were trying to climb back into Game 5, only for a missed out-of-bounds call to turn into a bigger officiating mess.
Instead of getting the review Johnson wanted, the Spurs ended the sequence with a technical foul and more Oklahoma City free throws.
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty ImagesMitch Johnson could not get San Antonio Spurs challenge heard on Chet Holmgren call
In a viral Hater Report clip, Johnson appeared to signal for a challenge after the ball went out of bounds off Holmgren’s foot.
Replays showed the ball should have gone to the Spurs, but officials awarded possession to the Thunder. Johnson tried to get the crew’s attention before the ball was put back in play, only for the request to be missed.
That is where the frustration exploded. Johnson argued after being ignored and was handed a technical foul, turning a potential Spurs possession into a damaging sequence for San Antonio.
The timing made it even worse. The Spurs had been on an 8-0 run and were trying to cut into Oklahoma City’s lead late in the third quarter.
Instead, the Thunder took advantage, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got more free throws, and Oklahoma City entered the fourth quarter up 101-91 before winning 127-114.
Mitch Johnson controversy had NBA fans raging after Oklahoma City Thunder benefited
The reaction from fans was immediate because the replay looked clear and the challenge request appeared visible.
One fan went straight to the strongest accusation, writing, “The NBA is rigged, plain and simple.” Another viewer echoed that anger with, “It’s so rigged I’m glad I don’t watch this garbage anymore.”
The frustration was not only about one call. One comment read, “Nothing is going to change. Clip after clip of insane officiating.” Others turned the moment into comedy, with one fan saying, “Bro asked for a challenge and got emotionally challenged instead.”
The Thunder angle also became part of the outrage, as another comment claimed, “Well, obviously the NBA wants OKC in the finals again.”
Those comments show how quickly a missed call can become a trust issue in a playoff game. The Spurs still had other chances, but this sequence gave fans an easy target after a game that pushed Oklahoma City one win from the NBA Finals.
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