Why Spurs didn't get challenge, leading to Mitch Johnson technical foul
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Why Spurs didn't get challenge, leading to Mitch Johnson technical foul originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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Mitch Johnson was called for just three technical fouls the entire regular season.
The one he got in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final was well deserved for the San Antonio Spurs head coach.
He had wanted a challenge on a missed call, and for whatever reason, the officials didn't grant it.
Johnson rightfully freaked out, and veteran official Tony Brothers gave him the 'T.'
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Why didn't the Spurs challenge work, getting Mitch Johnson a tech?
The challenge should've worked.
Johnson appeared to signal for the challenge while the refs were still holding the ball, before it had been inbounded back into play.
He was challenging an out of bounds call, which would've gone in his favor. Replay showed the ball clearly went off Chet Holmgren, even though the ball was awarded to the Thunder.
The refs missed the challenge, though.
The Thunder got away with this out-of-bounds call going against the Spurs.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 27, 2026
The refs then ignored Mitch Johnson trying to challenge, and handed him a tech for complaining. pic.twitter.com/aWkd0bS8CH
It's not the job of the ref who hands the ball to the inbounder to also see Johnson's circling finger gesture for the challenge.
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Instead, there was a ref within feet of Johnson who for whatever reason didn't grant the challenge.
The Thunder made the technical foul free throw and two shots on the ensuing possession. That could matter in a close game.
And really, Johnson not getting the review seems more like a fluke than anything else.