Utah centre Rudy Gobert wasn't sure his buzzer-beating tip-in off George Hill's miss at the end of overtime would be upheld, even as he watched replays of it on the giant scoreboard at Golden 1 Center.
With one official waving the bucket off for goaltending, Gobert figured the call could go either way.
Hill was much more optimistic and didn't need to see the play again.
"I knew it wasn't a goaltend because it was an airball," Hill said. "I knew that part was good."
Gobert tipped in Hill's missed jumper as time expired in overtime and the Jazz beat the Sacramento Kings 110-109 in their NBA match on Sunday (Monday AEDT).
After Willie Cauley-Stein made two free throws to give the Kings a 109-108 lead with 8.9 seconds remaining, Hill took an off-balance jumper from just outside the key. Gobert, positioned under the hoop, reached up and tipped the ball in as the buzzer sounded - and Utah's players began to celebrate.
But one official initially called goaltending on Gobert. After a meeting near midcourt, the referees went to the scorer's table to review the play and counted the basket.
"I just saw it go left and I was like 'OK, it's a pass. I'll just tip it in,"' Gobert said. "I looked up once, but whatever happens I know it's going to be their decision. Sometimes they get it wrong, too, so you never know."
Gobert finished with 16 points and 24 rebounds, Rodney Hood scored a season-high 28 and Gordon Hayward added 23 with five assists for Utah.
Australia's Joe Ingles scored six points and countryman Dante Exum managed two points, on one-from-five shooting.
The Jazz, who entered with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers for fourth place in the West, trailed by 16 in the first half and were down 89-79 with 7:50 left in the fourth quarter before making a late push to force overtime.
Utah missed their first two shots in the extra period and trailed 107-103 with 1:22 left.
After Ingles made a three-pointer for the Jazz, Cauley-Stein missed two free throws. Hill banked in a six-footer to put Utah up 108-107, but missed two free throws of his own after that.
Then came Cauley-Stein's two foul shots to put the Kings back in front - setting up Gobert's winning tip-in.
Ty Lawson scored 19 points for Sacramento, which lost its fourth straight and fell to 1-4 since trading All-Star DeMarcus Cousins.
Elsewhere, Golden State beat New York 112-105, Indiana beat Atlanta 97-96, Phoenix beat Boston 109-106 and Washington beat Orlando 115-114.
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