Why wasn’t Kevin Durant called for a technical for asking for a timeout he didn’t have?

NBA fans who watched Tuesday’s nationally televised game between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder would be forgiven if they flashed back to Chris Webber’s notorious attempt to call a timeout he didn’t have during a critical sequence of the 1993 NCAA Men’s Tournament championship game.

With the score tied at 115 in overtime, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a midrange jumper blocked by Houston’s Tari Eason and rebounded by Kevin Durant with 2.2 seconds remaining.

Durant attempted to call a timeout.

There was just one problem: Houston didn’t have any timeouts remaining, and the Rockets should’ve been penalized for it.

The NBA’s 2025-26 Official Rules address that specific situation in Rule No. 12 — Fouls and Penalties. The rule reads: “Requests for a timeout in excess of the authorized number shall be granted, and a technical foul shall be assessed. Following the timeout and free-throw attempt, the ball will be awarded to the team which shot the free throw, and play shall resume with a throw-in nearest the spot where play was interrupted.”

Translation: Houston should have been whistled for a technical foul, resulting in a foul shot for Oklahoma City and possession of the ball.

But no one from the officiating trio of crew chief Zach Zarba, referee Eric Dalen and umpire Jason Goldenberg called a technical. Time expired in the first overtime, leading to a second overtime.

Thunder players and coach Mark Daigneault, incredulous, argued the non-call, to no avail.

“Kevin definitely called timeout about three times, verbally and physically with his hands,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I think the refs just missed it. But that’s life. You make mistakes in life and you move on.”

So, why wasn’t a technical foul called on the Rockets?

“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 brief postgame interview.

In the end, the non-call didn’t hurt Oklahoma City too much. The Thunder won 125-124 in double overtime when Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. missed a highly contested jumper from the left corner that he launched just before time expired.

The entire situation harked back to the 1993 NCAA Men’s Tournament final that pitted Webber’s Michigan Wolverines against the North Carolina Tar Heels. With Michigan trailing 73-71 late in the second half, Webber dribbled the ball into North Carolina’s defensive end, picked up his dribble and called a timeout that Michigan didn’t have. Michigan was called for a costly technical foul with 11 seconds remaining, and North Carolina wound up winning 77-71.

Tuesday’s season opener between Houston and Oklahoma City came with plenty of thrills and a hint of controversy that will be tough to top during the 2025-26 NBA regular season.