Refs Miss Kevin Durant Timeout — No Tech, Thunder Win

Merlin sees the wrinkle: NBA ref Zach Zarba said the officials “did not see Kevin signal that timeout,” so Kevin Durant escaped a technical late in overtime of the Rockets-Thunder game — a call that would have handed Oklahoma City a free throw and potentially altered the ending. With the game tied and time soon to expire, the missed signal mattered; the contest finished in double overtime with the Thunder prevailing, and Durant fouled out before Houston’s final chance. Merlin notes the human limits of officiating. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, “Kevin definitely called timeout,” and that disconnect between players and refs often decides thin games. Expect more glare on replay and timeout protocols, though protests rarely change results. The league prefers fixes to rules, not retroactive reversals.