While Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James added to his lengthy NBA play-offs legacy with a buzzer-beater against Indiana, the Pacers felt aggrieved by the play preceding his decisive shot.
On Thursday, the NBA validated the Pacers' belief.
With the score tied at 95-95 and the clock winding down in the fourth quarter, Indiana guard Victor Oladipo laid the ball off the glass moments before James swatted away the attempt.
Goaltending should have been called but wasn't and the play wasn't reviewable by replay under NBA rules.
Cleveland came up with the rebound with three seconds left, called a timeout and set up a play on which James hit a three-pointer to give Cleveland a 98-95 win.
"Hit the backboard, then he blocked it," Oladipo said.
"Replays, I guess you guys can see, it was a tough play at the time for him, but it was a goaltend.
"It's hard to even speak on it. It just sucks, honestly. It really sucks."
The NBA noted in its Last Two Minute Report that referees missed the call.
NBA senior vice president of replay and referee operations Joe Borgia told NBA TV that referees were not permitted to review goaltending because it was not called on the court.
"In super slow motion, you just see the ball hit the glass and maybe come off an inch, and that's when LeBron got it," Borgia said.
"Like I said, once the ball touches the (backboard), defenders cannot touch it, and unfortunately James did."
Asked about the play, James said, joking, "I definitely thought it was a goaltend."
He then added, "Of course I didn't think it was a goaltend.
"I try to make plays like that all the time, and I mean, he made a heck of a move, got me leaning right and he went left, and I just tried to use my recovery speed and get back up there and make a play on the ball.
"And I was able to make a play."
The fact that James's ensuing basket was a three-pointer would seem to make the goaltending question moot but Oladipo won't accept that logic.
"The three was big-time. Definitely huge," Oladipo said.
"But who's to say they even run that play? We don't know what happens."
The result gave the Cavaliers a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven, first-round eastern conference playoff series.
Game six is Friday in Indianapolis.
