Kelly Oubre Jr. alleged NSFW message to refs after no call on game-deciding play leaked: "Your grandma's a bitch"
Kelly Oubre Jr. was fuming after the no-call at the end of the Philadelphia 76ers' 108-107 loss against the LA Clippers against him. Oubre got an open lane to attack the rim at the buzzer, but he was seemingly fouled by Paul George before getting his shot blocked by Kawhi Leonard.
Oubre called out the officiating crew after that game-changing play. Had the whistle gone Oubre's way, he could have been at the free throw line with a chance to seal the game. After the buzzer went off, Oubre lashed out at all three referees, sending an NSFW message:
“You’re a bitch, you’re a bitch, you’re a bitch. … your mom’s a bitch, your dad’s a bitch, your grandma’s a bitch”
Oubre pointed at every official, calling them a "bitch." The frustrations boiled over for coach Nick Nurse, too. The Sixers had blown a chance to put the game to bed despite holding a 15-point lead. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George recorded off games, shooting below 40.0%.
The Sixers had homecourt advantage, too, but not capitalizing on it took over the team's emotions amid a must-win scenario. Philadelphia could have moved to seventh with a win. Instead, it has dropped to 39-34 on the season, trailing the seventh-placed Heat by 0.5 games and the sixth-placed Pacers by 1.5.
Kelly Oubre Jr. explains frustration with refs
Kelly Oubre Jr. picked an opposite tone after the game with the refs. He seemingly regrouped his thoughts and didn't lose his cool when asked about the refs' decision-making. Oubre admitted that he wasn't pleased with referees being biased as they gave the same calls to the Clippers, which they didn't to the 76ers.
"They (refs) were calling those calls for those guys (Clippers)," Oubre said (via NBC Sports Philadelphia).
"They were getting and ones, and they were changing the game in that aspect. Then we get down to our side, it's like they didn't even see any contact ... I barely touched them on the other end and they called it."
Kelly Oubre Jr. clarified he wasn't trying to "get on" the refs, saying it was "human" for them to miss calls. The game may have seemed evenly poised from the free throw differential aspect, though, as the Clippers only got one attempt more from the charity stripe.
However, it's the timing of those calls and the Sixers potentially missing out on being rightfully favored down the stretch.
Referee Kevin Scott also admitted that Kelly Oubre Jr. got fouled on the final play.
"On the last play on the floor, in real time the crew interpreted that play as the defender jumping vertically," Scott said (h/t Sixers beat writer Keith Pompey).
"However, in post-game video review we did observe some slight drift to his left by the defender George, and a foul should have been ruled."