Durant’s Mistaken Timeout Echoes Chris Webber’s Infamous 1993 Error
Tuesday night’s clash between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder had everything basketball fans crave: superstar performances, double overtime drama, and one glaring officiating blunder that left viewers in disbelief.
With the score tied 115-115 late in the first overtime, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander saw his midrange jumper blocked by Houston’s Tari Eason. The rebound landed in the hands of Kevin Durant with just 2.2 seconds remaining — and that’s when things went sideways.
Durant, under pressure, attempted to call a timeout. The problem? The Rockets had none left.
Under NBA Rule 12, Section I, calling an excessive timeout results in an automatic technical foul. The opposing team is awarded one free throw and retains possession afterward. In this case, Oklahoma City should have been given a free throw and the ball — potentially sealing the game.
Instead, officials missed the call. No whistle blew, no technical was assessed, and time expired to send the contest into a second overtime.
Officials Admit They Missed the Call
After the game, crew chief Zach Zarba acknowledged the error. “None of the three game officials saw Kevin signal that timeout. That’s why it wasn’t granted before the expiration of time,” Zarba said in a postgame statement.
The Thunder bench was stunned. Players and coach Mark Daigneault immediately protested, insisting that Durant had clearly called for a timeout multiple times.
“Kevin definitely called timeout about three times, verbally and physically with his hands,” said Gilgeous-Alexander after the game. “I think the refs just missed it. But that’s life. You make mistakes in life and you move on.”
Fortunately for Oklahoma City, the missed technical did not change the outcome. The Thunder held on in the second overtime to secure a 125-124 victory after Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. missed a heavily contested corner jumper at the buzzer.
A Flashback to One of Basketball’s Most Famous Blunders
The bizarre moment instantly drew comparisons to one of college basketball’s most infamous plays — Chris Webber’s 1993 NCAA Championship mistake. In that game, Webber’s Michigan Wolverines trailed North Carolina 73-71 when he called a timeout the team didn’t have, resulting in a technical foul that sealed the Tar Heels’ victory.
Like Webber’s error, Durant’s move was instinctive — the kind of split-second decision that can define a player’s legacy, or in this case, almost alter the course of a game. The difference, of course, was that the officials never noticed.
A Chaotic Start to the NBA Season
For the league, the episode serves as an early-season reminder of how quickly chaos can strike even the most routine plays. The missed call sparked heated online debate about officiating consistency and the importance of late-game awareness — both for players and referees.
The Thunder, meanwhile, escaped with a win that may prove crucial later in the year. For Houston, the loss stings less because of the mistake and more because of how close the team came to stealing a victory on the road.
Tuesday’s game was only the opening act of the 2025-26 NBA season, but it’s already set a dramatic tone. With double-overtime heroics, controversy, and echoes of basketball history, the Rockets-Thunder thriller may be remembered as one of the season’s defining moments — and a lesson in what happens when timeouts run out.