The NBA has confirmed that there was a game clock error during the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ win Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The error occurred after a shot clock violation in the third quarter, according to a statement from an NBA spokesperson provided to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
The error added an extra minute and six seconds to the clock, according to the spokesperson.
“While regrettable, the error was not identified in time to resolve the in-game situation,” the statement said.
The Grizzlies were leading at the time of the shot clock violation. The Lakers won 123-120.
In overtime at the end of the third quarter, the Grizzlies recorded two points, while the Lakers added four points to take the lead.
The Grizzlies regained the lead late in the fourth quarter, but two free throws and a LeBron James basket helped Los Angeles come back to win in regulation.
The confusion centered around two shot clock violations committed by the Grizzlies with 2:20 and 1:14 remaining in the third quarter, respectively, according to UPROXX’s Robby Kalland.
The game clock was reset to 2:20 after the two violations, causing Memphis to extend the third quarter and extend the game to 49 minutes, six seconds.
The NBA referees’ review found other officiating errors in the Lakers’ win, including two missed calls on James and a shooting foul on Rui Hachimura in the final two minutes.
The Grizzlies, who were eliminated from the playoffs in March, are in the running for one of the top four picks in the 2024 NBA Draft lottery.
The Lakers, for their part, needed this victory to climb to eighth place in the Western Conference.