ESPN announcers call out NBA refs over Magic-Pistons Game 7 foul call

Credit: ESPN

The Detroit Pistons completed a 3-1 series comeback with a 116-94 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 7 on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons secured that victory despite an officiating decision that the ESPN on ABC broadcast team and Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff couldn’t believe.

With Detroit leading 38-35 in the second quarter, the Pistons’ Paul Reed was called for a shooting foul on a layup try from Orlando’s Anthony Black. Bickerstaff challenged the call.

“I think he might win that challenge,” ESPN on ABC play-by-play announcer Mike Breen said after the initial replay was shown.

However, NBA referee Tony Brothers announced that the call stood after replay review. Black would go on to make both free throws.

The ESPN on ABC crew of Breen, Tim Legler, and Richard Jefferson voiced their disagreement with the ruling.

“Boy, there is not a lot of contact there,” Breen said. “Certainly, there’s some. But they said the defender turned and made the contact, and that’s why Anthony Black is going to shoot two free throws.”

“That’s the least amount of contact you’re going to see on a layup attempt in the playoffs, and particularly, [Jefferson], in this series, with what we’ve seen when guys attack the rim,” Legler said.

“That is not playoff basketball, let alone NBA basketball,” Jefferson said. “Now, look, there was contact. By the letter of the law, his body did touch his jersey. And that’s really the only contact that you’ve got that.”