Spurs vs. Thunder referee report: No missed calls in the final two minutes; Caruso unhappy with two crucial rulings

On December 15th Beijing time, the NBA officially published the referee report for the final two minutes of the Spurs vs. Thunder game played yesterday. The report stated that no errors or missed calls occurred in that period. The Spurs secured a 111-109 victory over the Thunder, snapping their 16-game winning streak. After the game, while heading to the locker room, Caruso was visibly upset and muttering, believing the last calls were questionable. However, the officials confirmed both key calls he disputed were correct.

The first incident happened with 3.3 seconds left in the game, where the referees ruled that Caruso fouled Vassell. Caruso felt this call was unfair. The report explained that Caruso hooked Vassell’s side with his arm, disrupting Vassell’s balance and his ability to control the ball for the sideline inbound play. This was deemed a defensive foul.

The second incident occurred with 1.5 seconds remaining. After touching the ball, Caruso immediately took a shot that missed and then stepped out of bounds. He believed Vassell had fouled him on defense. The report clarified that Vassell and Caruso were simultaneously contesting the rebound, and at the moment Vassell touched Caruso’s hand, there was a legitimate physical contact between them, which was not a foul.

In the end, four Spurs players scored over 20 points. Vembanyama made a strong return, contributing 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks, making a significant impact. His plus-minus rating was +21, meaning the Spurs outscored the Thunder by 21 points while he was on the court, but were outscored by 19 points when he was off. Castle and Fox each added 22 points, while Vassell scored 23 points.

For the Thunder, Alexander scored 29 points along with 4 rebounds and 5 assists, with no other player reaching 20 points. Jaylen Williams and Holmgren each contributed 17 points.