Transcript: NBA Referee Bill Spooner Comments to Pool Reporter after Wizards – Clippers Game

December 9, 2017

Pool Reporter Transcript

Crew Chief Bill Spooner

Postgame – Washington at LA Clippers – December 9, 2017

NBA Crew Chief Bill Spooner met with pool reporter Todd Dybas of the Washington Times after the game between the Wizards and Clippers today. Here is the transcript of that interview:

Q: Why did the clock change after the review from 1.2 to 1.1?

“We had a clock malfunction, early start. The crew actually incorrectly reset the shot-clock to 1.1, we should have reset it to 0.1. The reason is, on an early start, we timed the possession, the lost time. The only time that was lost was 0.1. So we should have inbounded the ball at the point of interruption, which is what we did, but it should have been at 0.1 instead of 1.1.”

Q: Why did the location of the inbounds change?

“The ball is inbounded at the point of interruption, right where [Bradley Beal] caught the ball.”

Q: Why didn’t the full play when Beal shot count?
“We had a clock malfunction, early start.”
Q: What rule covers that situation?
“Rule 13 section 1A – 5.”

“The wasted time, if you will, the time that they lost, was 1.1. With an inbounds at 1.2, that leaves, mathematically, 0.1 and that should have been where we reset it. We actually made the mistake, in their favor if you will, and reset it at 1.1.”

“By rule, it’s a clock malfunction, early start and we have certain protocol to do on that play, which should have meant 0.1 rather than 1.1.”