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 two-minute report dropped the real twist. It confirmed that Spencer Jones had stripped Austin Reaves clean. No foul. No free throws. Yet the Lakers got two shots at a crucial moment. That changed the rhythm instantly.

If the call was right, the Nuggets could have secured the rebound and closed it in regulation. Even if Reaves made one, Denver still had over eight seconds to script a final play. Instead, the whistle tilted the moment and gave the Lakers a lifeline.

Then came the chaos. Reaves missed his second free throw on purpose, grabbed the rebound, and tied the game at the buzzer. Overtime followed. Momentum flipped. Eventually, the Nuggets paid the price. Still, the report changes nothing. The result stands. And Denver is left wondering what could have been.

Now, what happened that night? Let’s see…

Denver Nuggets missed winning against Lakers

The ending had drama as the LA Lakers escaped with an overtime win, though the game should have closed 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.