NBA Report Clears Jarrett Allen on No-Call Trip in Cavs-Pistons Game

The NBA ruled that officials correctly did not call a foul on Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons. Cleveland won the game in overtime.

The league's Last Two Minute Report, released Thursday, stated that Allen and Pistons forward Ausar Thompson legally stepped to the same spot while pursuing a loose ball before either had possession. Both players lost balance from marginal contact, according to the report.

Video of the play shows Allen tripping Thompson, which would have been a foul. With the score tied 103-103 and less than a second left, Thompson would have shot free throws.

"That's a trip right there," ESPN analyst Tim Legler said on replay. "There's a couple of tenths left when that happens."

Thompson shoots 60% from the free-throw line, but the odds would have favored a Pistons win on the call.

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff agreed. "[Allen] fouled Ausar -- clearly," he said after the game. "He tripped him when he was going for a loose ball."

Bickerstaff entered the game upset with officiating in the series, citing free-throw disparity in Game 4. "It’s unacceptable, it is," he said, via the Detroit News’ Coty Davis. "We didn’t do enough honestly to help ourselves, and I’ll start there. But ever since we came to Cleveland, the whistle has changed. There’s no way that one guy on their team shoots more free throws than our team."

The Pistons attempted 12 free throws in Monday night's loss. Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell took 15 himself.

Crew chief Tony Brothers defended the no-call. "During live play, both players were going for the ball, and there was incidental contact with the legs with no player having possession of the ball," he said Wednesday.

"There was incidental contact on the play. The play will be reviewed by the league office tomorrow, and it will be posted in the L2M," Brothers added.

The Cavaliers host the Pistons for Game 6 on Friday.