"I just made a horrendous mistake there at the end," Spoelstra said. His reflections reveal a coach who takes full responsibility for critical in-game decisions.
The rule in play (No. 12A, Section IA) is quite clear: 'Requests for a timeout in excess of the authorized number shall be granted and a technical foul shall be assessed.' Spoelstra's mistake was thus a rule breach with significant consequences.
Instead of the Heat having a final second to try to win the game, the Pistons also kept possession because the rule states that following the timeout and free-throw attempt, the ball will be awarded to the team which shot the free throw.
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