It\u2019s been quite the weekend for NBA replay reviews. The latest notable one came in the closing moments of the Minnesota Timberwolves\u2019 Game 4 win against the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday. There, Wolves\u2019 guard Anthony Edwards\u2019 drive led to what was initially ruled a turnover, but Minnesota coach Chris Finch challenged, and that led to a foul called against Lakers\u2019 forward LeBron James for making contact with Edwards before the ball.<\/p>\n
The ABC on ESPN broadcast Sunday didn\u2019t think the call would change at first, though. Indeed, analyst Richard Jefferson was particularly convinced there was no foul:<\/p>\n
Lakers-Timberwolves Game 4 Sunday saw a late replay review on a coach\u2019s challenge change a Minnesota turnover into a foul on LeBron James. But ESPN on ABC analyst Richard Jefferson didn\u2019t expect the overturn. \u201cLeBron\u2019s left hand is not pushing him as he goes down.\u201d<\/p>\n
[image or embed]<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social<\/a>) April 27, 2025 at 6:07 PM<\/a><\/p>\n However, the review included a top-down look from the Sony Hawk-Eye camera (incorporated into NBA player tracking as of March<\/a> 2023<\/a>, and extensively used in various kinds of tracking elsewhere, including the NFL, soccer, and tennis) that was much more convincing. And analyst Doris Burke correctly called, based on that, that this would indeed turn into a foul on James:<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the subsequent replay review, with additional camera angles, and the eventual overturn. The Hawk-Eye camera angle convinced Doris Burke: \u201cHe hits his wrist first! That\u2019s going to be a foul, LeBron!\u201d pic.twitter.com\/56LGGPWQ6R<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n With that foul, Edwards hit two free throws to extend the Minnesota lead to 116-113. And that would be the final score, giving the Timberwolves a 3-1 series lead. But remarkably, this came just a day after that same overhead Hawk-Eye camera proved critical, and also against a Los Angeles team. That was on the extremely close Aaron Gordon buzzer-beating dunk to give the Nuggets a win over the Clippers:<\/p>\n Aaron Gordon\u2019s eventual-game winning dunk in Nuggets-Clippers Game 4 was so close to the buzzer that Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller couldn\u2019t declare it good at first. \u201cDid Gordon beat the buzzer?\u201d \u201cThey\u2019re going to take a look at it!\u201d pic.twitter.com\/F3TPzj9skT<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n That one was so close it led to a very protracted replay review, and even to criticisms it showed \u201cthe inanity of NBA replay.\u201d But part of the criticism there was that the angles shown on TNT\u2019s broadcast didn\u2019t seem to really provide a clear yes-or-no answer on if Gordon let go of the ball before the game-ending backboard light went off. The NBA later posted a clip to social media showing the overhead Hawk-Eye feed, with the ball out of Gordon\u2019s hands ahead of the light:<\/p>\n At the end of Q4 of tonight\u2019s #DENatLAC<\/a> game, Replay Center officials confirmed the ruling of a good basket by the Nuggets\u2019 Aaron Gordon: pic.twitter.com\/BxB4j7TFs8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) April 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Adding to the remarkable dialogue around NBA replay review this weekend, the New York Knicks-Detroit Pistons Game 4 Sunday ended with an uncalled foul and with referee David Guthrie noting after the game a look at the video convinced his crew a foul was justified<\/a>. There\u2019s no word on if that video included Hawk-Eye angles or not. But that was on a play that wasn\u2019t eligible for in-game review. Still, review in general and Hawk-Eye in particular stole the NBA spotlight this weekend,<\/p>\n \t