NBA confirms Donovan Mitchell not fouled late in Kings' win vs. Jazz

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SACRAMENTO -- It took a team effort for the Sacramento Kings to pick up their first victory of the season on Friday evening. De’Aaron Fox was the star, but in a win a one-point victory, it usually comes down to a series of small plays made by a variety of players.

Dewayne Dedmon’s 3-pointer with 58 seconds remaining gave the Kings a 100-97 lead. Harrison Barnes crashed the glass and laid the ball in to give the Kings a 102-101 lead with 2.8 seconds remaining.

The Kings needed one more stop to come away with the win and they got it from an unlikely source.

Utah’s Mike Conley handled the inbounds pass and waited patiently for Bojan Bogdanovic and then Donovan Mitchel to break towards the top of the key. Conley found Mitchell as the second man through at the top of the key after he was freed up by a Rudy Gobert screen.

With Barnes cut off, center Richaun Holmes popped up on the switch and chased the 6-foot-3 shooting guard around the arc. Mitchell took an initial bump from Holmes but continued his dribble to the right elbow.

Mitchell gave Holmes a head fake to get him in the air, but Sacramento’s big man avoided contact and then flashed a hand in Mitchell’s face as he went to release the shot.

The 3-point attempt hit the front of the iron and the Kings came away with the victory.

Following the game, Mitchell spoke to the media and believed he was wronged in the situation.

“I should have won the game,” Mitchell said. “I should have had three free throws. We shouldn’t have lost.”

The NBA disagreed with Mitchell’s assessment Saturday when the Last Two Minute report came out. According to the league, the officiating crew made a correct non-call.

“Holmes (SAC) makes marginal contact with Mitchell (UTA) that does not affect his SQBR (Speed, Quickness, Balance, Rhythm),” the official print out reads. 

It should also be noted that the ball appeared to still be in contact with Mitchell’s hand when the clock hit zero and the red light when on. If Mitchell would have hit the shot, the final play would have been reviewed.

In addition to confirming the Kings’ victory, the league also pointed out a missed call against Utah’s Bojan Bogdanovic with 1:30 remaining in the fourth.

With the game tied at 97-97, Bogdanovic received an outlet pass from Gobert. He picked up his dribble and then took at least four steps with the ball.

[RELATED: Bogi puts in extra shooting work after Kings win]

Luke Walton can be seen in the video imploring the officials to call a travel on the play, to no avail.

In the end, the Two-minute report holds very little value. It is a tool used by the league to show transparency, but there is little to no recourse for a missed call.

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