This was not a backcourt violation and has never been a backcourt violation.
For those calling the game, there is a responsibility to know the NBA rules and explain them correctly in order to properly educate the fans @alaatweets
See the below thread for more examples: https://t.co/UOWQ9qrTwd
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) December 15, 2025
The Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Atlanta Hawks 120-117 on Sunday in a tough finish on the road. The Sixers received a big effort from Paul George who delivered 35 points and knocked down seven triples on nine attempts, but it wasn’t enough.
The finish on Sunday had some controversy as the Hawks inbounded the ball. It appeared Nickeil Alexander-Walker had committed a backcourt violation with Philadelphia trailing 118-117 before VJ Edgecombe committed the foul to extend the game. Alexander-Walker then stepped up and made two free throws for the final tally.
The broadcast team of Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby on NBC Sports Philadelphia was confused as to why there wasn’t a backcourt violation called. The official Twitter account of the NBA’s referees then called out Abdelnaby in explanation of the ruling on the floor.
On Monday, when the league’s L2M report was released, they confirmed the call on the floor was a correct one. It explained that Alexander-Walker’s momentum carried him into the backcourt which is allowed in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime.
Either way, the Sixers took a tough loss and are sitting at 14-11 as they now turn their attention to the New York Knicks on Friday.