Time clock curse strikes NBA

The NBA has admitted that Chauncey Billups' crucial three-pointer in the Detroit Pistons' win over the Orlando Magic should not have counted after a timing malfunction at the end of the third quarter.

However, in a statement released on Wednessday, the league backed officials who were unable to use replays to support their decision in Tuesday's Eastern Conference semi-final contest, which Detroit won 100-93 to take a 2-0 series lead.

The clock froze at 4.8 seconds before Billups earned a 78-76 advantage.

"After reviewing the video of last night's Pistons-Magic game, we determined that the play that concluded with Chauncey Billups' three-point field goal at the end of the third quarter took approximately 5.7 seconds," the statement read.

"Because there were only 5.1 seconds remaining in the quarter when the play began, the shot would not have counted had the clock continued to run."

League president Joel Litvin said: "The referees followed proper procedure in addressing the clock malfunction by estimating the elapsed time and using their judgment as to whether the shot was taken in time."

"Under NBA rules, the referees did not have the option of using instant replay and a timing device to determine exactly how much time had elapsed, nor do the rules allow for a replay after a clock malfunction is discovered."

"The NBA Competition Committee was scheduled to discuss the possible expanded use of instant replay at its meeting at the end of the month and we will raise, for the committee's consideration, the use of replay in situations like this."

The NBA stated that the clock stoppage was due to a technical malfunction in the timing system of the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Under play-off rules, the timekeeper for a contest is always from a 'neutral' city.