The Denver Nuggets lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in a nail-biting OT night last Saturday. But one decision by the game official truly tilted their fate for the worse. That foul call on Spencer Jones, 9.2 seconds left in regulation? Yes, it was uncalled for. And even the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report confirmed that the game wasn’t supposed to be won by LA.

Therefore, Nuggets star Cam Johnson spoke up about the matter on The Old Man and The Three. The host asked Johnson whether players actually want to know the results of the two-minute report after a game. Also, does that information matter when it cannot change the outcome?

“Yeah. I just like to know for knowing’s sake. Spencer was like, ‘I just touched the ball.’ Everybody’s like, ‘Okay.’ You know what I mean? We moved on and tried to. It’s a situation where even if the ball just goes out of bounds, we’re going to foul anyway,” the Nuggets forward said. “So, it’s not like a complete game-changing situation. Obviously, you go back to that point, and they change the call. Something down the stretch of the game is going to be different.”

“It’s not going to go the same exact way, but it’s not like it changed the outcome of the game in a dramatic way. So, I mean, still opportunities for us to win the game in overtime, in regulation, to not even have the game come down to the wire. It’s just one of those where you got to pick yourself back up and get ready for the next one.”

The NBA’s official Last Two Minute Report leaves no doubt about the call’s significance. By incorrectly awarding Austin Reaves two free throws after Spencer Jones’ clean strip, the referees handed the Lakers an undeserved lifeline with 9.2 seconds left in regulation.

This prevented Denver from securing a rebound (or regaining possession) to run out the clock on their 116-113 lead. Instead, Reaves made the first free throw, intentionally missed the second to grab the rebound, and tied the game with a buzzer-beater floater, shifting all momentum into overtime.

For a Nuggets team anchored by Nikola Jokic’s MVP-level play throughout the season, this single officiating error proved pivotal in costing them a regulation victory and ultimately the game, as the Lakers capitalized in the extra period to drop Denver to 42-27 and hand them a tough loss in the Western Conference standings battle.

While the incorrect foul call on Spencer Jones in the Nuggets-Lakers game drew significant attention, confirmed by the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report as a clean strip that should not have sent Austin Reaves to the line, such high-stakes officiating errors remain a recurring topic league-wide.

For instance, in a December 2025 matchup between the Nuggets and Houston Rockets, the L2M Report identified three incorrect calls in the final two minutes of overtime, all favoring Denver in their 128-125 win.

The league ruled that Kevin Durant’s clean block on Nikola Jokic should not have resulted in a foul (giving Jokic free throws), a no-call on Tim Hardaway Jr.’s shove of Alperen Sengun should have been a loose-ball foul, and a foul on Amen Thompson against Jamal Murray was erroneous, allowing Murray two free throws.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka called it “the most poorly officiated game I’ve seen in a long time,” proving how these errors directly influenced the outcome.

The Denver Nuggets missed winning against the Lakers

The ending was dramatic as the LA Lakers escaped with an overtime win, though the game should have ended earlier. The Denver Nuggets led 116-113 with 9.9 seconds left when Austin Reaves received the inbounds. Spencer Jones stripped the ball clean before any shooting motion. However, the whistle blew. Reaves got two free throws and cut it to a one-point game with 9.2 seconds remaining.

That call changed everything. If play had continued, Denver could have secured the rebound and sealed it in regulation. Even a made shot leaves over eight seconds for a final play. Instead, the free throw shifted momentum. Later, Reaves missed his second attempt on purpose, grabbed the rebound, and tied the game at the buzzer. The contest rolled into overtime, where the Lakers completed the comeback.

Meanwhile, Reaves delivered a stunning stat line with 32 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, shooting 12-21 and 3-8 from deep. The win pushed the Lakers to 43-25, holding third in the West ahead of the Rockets at 41-26. Meanwhile, the Nuggets dropped to 42-27, now fifth and 1.5 games back, losing the season series 1-2.

Basketball can flip on a whisper, and this one echoed loudly. A single call nudged the night off course, yet Denver chose perspective over excuses. Meanwhile, the Lakers seized the chaos and ran with it. The report told the truth, but the scoreboard stayed firm. And so, the Nuggets walk on, wiser, while the what-if lingers quietly in the air.