The Houston Rockets weren't pleased with the referees during their 104-100 Game 1 loss to the Golden State Warriors, but it appears officiating concerns originated long before Sunday's contest.
Since last season's Western Conference finals contested by the two teams, Houston has been making a data-driven case for the NBA that Golden State is receiving a "major officiating advantage" in marquee matchups, sources told The Athletic's Sam Amick.
Houston reportedly examined each game's play-by-play officiating report, which documents both correct and missed calls, from that series. The Rockets found that they had a double-digit point deficit in six of the seven games and an overall loss of 93 potential points from missed calls, sources told Amick.
In Houston's decisive Game 7 loss, the report indicated the club should have scored 18 more points, adds Amick. The team's findings also included 81 potential missed calls and non-calls in the Warriors' series-clinching win, according to ESPN's Zach Lowe and Rachel Nichols.
"Referees likely changed the NBA champion," reads a Rockets memo addressed to NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell, according to Lowe and Nichols. "There can no be no worse result for the NBA."
A shooter's "landing space" was a hot topic of discussion following Sunday's clash. A rule was implemented in September 2017 to protect airborne shooters after then-San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard suffered a season-ending ankle injury when landing on the foot of then-Warriors center Zaza Pachulia during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Defenders are now restricted from moving into the landing area of an airborne shooter and must allow them to return to the floor safely.
Houston insists that the league's more experienced officials are less willing than younger referees to enforce this new rule and raised this issue to the league months ago based on the research they compiled, sources told Amick. Each Game 1 official had at least nine seasons of experience.
The league dismissed the club's allegations Monday.
"As we told the Rockets, we do not agree with their methodology," Mike Bass, an NBA spokesman, told Lowe and Nichols.
The Rockets and Warriors are back in action on Tuesday at Oracle Arena.
