During a Hornets-Cavaliers game, a bizarre sequence led to a controversial four-point swing for Charlotte. After a missed three-pointer, a Hornets player tried to force a turnover by bouncing the ball off a Cavs player who appeared to be touching it while out of bounds. One referee caught it and blew the whistle, signaling the play was dead. Players began casually walking around, and a Hornets player took a non-competitive practice shot. Cavs players lightly defended it in fun, but another ref—unaware the whistle had blown—called a technical foul and awarded a three-pointer, treating it like a real play since the Hornets player was illegally touched mid-shot.
The decision shocked both teams. The Hornets ended up with three points and a free throw, even though the play was clearly dead before the shot. Hornets’ coach stayed quiet, while the Cavs’ coach and players argued the play shouldn’t count. The officials debated at length. One insisted the contact happened before the whistle, though the entire situation suggested otherwise. The confusion ended with the refs standing by the call during the game. But after reviewing the sequence postgame, ref Brian Forte admitted it was an officiating error and the shot should not have counted. The moment became a frustrating example of what happens when officials lose track of the action and don’t communicate clearly.