Shannon Sharpe pinpoints what decided Spurs-Thunder Game 5 originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Shannon Sharpe joined the national backlash after poor officiating shifted the Spurs-Thunder Western Conference Finals Game 5 on Tuesday night. Oklahoma City defeated San Antonio 127-114 at Paycom Center to claim a 3-2 series lead.
The series entered Game 5 tied at 2-2 after four fiercely contested matchups between both teams. San Antonio won Game 1 in double overtime behind Victor Wembanyama’s historic 41-point performance.
Two critical third-quarter calls went against San Antonio in a pivotal stretch. Cason Wallace blocked Luke Kornet’s tip-in on the rim without a goaltending whistle. A ball grazed Chet Holmgren’s foot out of bounds, yet Oklahoma City kept possession.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson signaled for a challenge directly before referee James Capers. Capers ignored the request, assessed Johnson a technical foul and awarded Oklahoma City a free throw.
“I thought the officials had a bad stretch. That was a goaltending,” Sharpe said. “How did they miss that? THE BALL WENT OFF CHET FOOT,” Sharpe continued.
Shannon Sharpe GOES OFF on the refs in OKC vs Spurs game 5 😳
“I thought the officials had a bad stretch. That was a goaltending. How did they miss that? THE BALL WENT OFF CHET FOOT. HOW DO YOU MISS THAT? AND THE REF TRYING TO GET A CHALLENGE AND Y’ALL LIKE WHAT? NO, COME ON.… pic.twitter.com/B3HyKmSoQ1
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) May 27, 2026
“HOW DO YOU MISS THAT?” Sharpe asked on the Nightcap Show. “AND THE REF TRYING TO GET A CHALLENGE AND Y’ALL LIKE WHAT?” Sharpe said.
“NO, COME ON. YOU CAN’T MISS THAT,” Sharpe added during the broadcast. Sharpe noted that international rules permit rim goaltending, but NBA rules prohibit it entirely.
Despite acknowledging that both oversized stars are rich enough to own yachts, Sharpe doubled down on his claim that the ball hit Holmgren’s foot.
Shannon Sharpe highlights officiating failures
The missed goaltending and out-of-bounds calls combined for a two-possession swing in the third quarter. San Antonio trailed throughout the fourth as Oklahoma City secured the crucial home victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 32 points for the Thunder.
Alex Caruso added 22 points off the Oklahoma City bench in the Game 5 win. Rookie Jared McCain contributed 20 points in his first playoff start with Jalen Williams injured.
The controversial calls reinforced a growing narrative about favorable officiating for Oklahoma City this postseason. Fans and analysts demanded NBA accountability following the Game 5 finish. San Antonio now faces elimination in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals.
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