NBA Says Jermaine O’Neal Got Away With a Goaltend on Monta Ellis

Late in in a dramatic 122-20 win Tuesday night against the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors big man Jermaine O’Neal snatched a Monta Ellis floater out of the air as it was coming down towards the hoop. The NBA admitted Wednesday that the refs blew it by not calling a goaltend. From the press release:

“Upon review at the league office, we have found that a shot taken by Dallas’ Monta Ellis with 16.0 seconds remaining in overtime was on the way down when initially contacted and ruled a block by Golden State’s Jermaine O’Neal, and should have been ruled a goaltend. The exact trajectory of the ball when touched was impossible to ascertain with the naked eye, and the play was not reviewable.”