Anthony Edwards’ run-in with referees exposes flaws in NBA’s system

Anthony Edwards was done. Right next to the play that drew Edwards’ ire, a driving dunk with 2 minutes, 12 seconds left in the game during which Edwards’ left arm was grabbed by Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the “Review Decision” read: CNC. “Gilgeous-Alexander brings his hand towards Edwards’ arm, and the contact during the shot near the rim is marginal,” read a comment on the report. While it is true that Gilgeous-Alexander’s contact did not seem to impede Edwards as he powered through and scored to give the Timberwolves a 101-97 lead in an important matchup between two of the top teams in the Western Conference, it is difficult to look at the play in real time or the freeze-frame and see how officials deemed it to be “marginal” contact. When Timberwolves fans see the Edwards play deemed to be a correct no-call and juxtapose that with the NBA referees official social media account essentially apologizing to LeBron James for missing a call that was eerily similar to SGA’s defense on Edwards, it throws gasoline on a fire that is growing.