NBA Confirms No Backcourt Violation in Sixers-Hawks Final Seconds: L2M Report Backs Officials
Sunday night’s Sixers-Hawks showdown ended with more than just a tight 120-117 Atlanta win-it also sparked a wave of frustration from Sixers head coach Nick Nurse and fans who believed a crucial late-game call was missed. But according to the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report (L2M), the officials got it right.
Let’s break down what happened-and why the league says the no-call was the correct one.
The Final Sequence That Had Philly Fuming
With just seconds left on the clock, the Sixers were scrambling to get a stop and give themselves a shot at tying or winning the game. That’s when the Hawks inbounded the ball to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who caught it near the frontcourt and then moved into the backcourt.
Immediately, Sixers broadcaster Alaa Abdelnaby called it out on the telecast: “That’s a backcourt, that’s a backcourt.” Play-by-play announcer Kate Scott echoed the sentiment, noting that Coach Nurse was making the same case from the sideline.
The officials, however, didn’t blow the whistle. The Hawks went on to hit a pair of free throws, pushing their lead to 120-117. That ended up being the final margin-leaving Philly fans frustrated and the Sixers bench demanding answers.
What the Rulebook Actually Says
Now here’s where the L2M comes in. The NBA uses the Last Two Minute Report to evaluate officiating decisions in the final moments of close games, and in this case, it backed the crew on the floor.
According to NBA Rule 4, Section VI, g3, a backcourt violation only applies if a player has established a “positive position” in the frontcourt before returning to the backcourt. The league determined that Alexander-Walker had not firmly established himself in the frontcourt before his momentum carried him back over the line.
In other words, while it may have looked like a backcourt violation in real time-and certainly sounded like one to the Sixers' broadcast team-the rulebook sided with the officials.
What’s Next for the Sixers
It’s a tough pill to swallow for Philly, who came up just short in a game that could’ve gone either way. The team now has a few days to regroup before heading to Madison Square Garden for a Friday night matchup against the Knicks.
That one’s shaping up to be another high-stakes Eastern Conference battle, and you can catch it live on 97.3 ESPN with coverage beginning at 7 p.m.
For now, the Sixers will have to move on from Sunday’s controversy, but don’t be surprised if that final sequence sticks in their minds-and their fans’-for a while.