NBA: Thunder's go-ahead basket was illegal
Posted: 04.19.2011 at 5:41 PM
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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The NBA says Kendrick Perkins' basket with 1:05 left that put the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead to stay in a 107-103 playoff win against the Denver Nuggets should have been waved off as basket interference.

In a statement issued Monday, the NBA says Perkins touched the basketball while it was still "in the cylinder," or directly above the basket, in violation of the rules.

The basket put Oklahoma City ahead 102-101, and Denver didn't score on its next two possessions before losing Game 1.

Coach George Karl says he's happy the league acknowledged the mistake "but it doesn't mean anything other than we can go out and win Wednesday night."

That's when Game 2 will be played in Oklahoma City.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)