Julius Randle’s dramatic game-winning three-pointer for the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Phoenix Suns was ruled a travel after review, leading to controversy over the clutch shot.
This marks the second game-winner in just a few days to be called back due to a travel violation, following a similar ruling on Jayson Tatum’s game-winner against the Toronto Raptors.
Randle delivered a stellar 35-point performance, capped off by a buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave the Timberwolves a 120-117 victory over Phoenix.
The dramatic shot came with just 2.1 seconds left, following a timeout where the Timberwolves advanced the ball. As the ball found Randle on the perimeter, he made a contested 24-foot three-pointer to secure the win.
However, following a review, it was determined that Randle had lifted his pivot foot before releasing his dribble, thus violating traveling rules.
According to the NBA’s Last Two Minute report, Randle’s foot movement resulted in a travel violation, rendering the game-winning shot illegal.
Despite the review, the Timberwolves’ win still stands, as the violation came after Randle’s game-winner had already counted, and the Suns were unable to contest the shot in time. The Timberwolves improved to an 8-6 record on the season, while the Suns dropped to 9-5.
