Otto Porter Jr. misses final (replayed) 0.5 seconds of Bulls-Sixers due to NBA drug test

Share

Wednesday night's Bulls-Sixers game was a wild back-and-forth affair that featured 19 lead changes, 20 ties and one very odd ending. 

Zach LaVine hit a driving layup and was fouled — to finish with 39 points — that gave the Bulls a late 108-107 lead and placed the pressure back on the playoff-bound Sixers. He missed the ensuing free throw, leaving Philadelphia with aboout 0.5 seconds remaining. 

And this is when things get wacky.

The initial thought was that Robin Lopez got a hand on the inbounds pass, but either way, LaVine knocked away the inbounds pass from Jimmy Butler to seal what appeared to be another solid Bulls win, but the referees put back 0.5 seconds on the clock due to an the final buzzer sounding before anyone had actually touched the ball.

Due to the clock issue, the Sixers got one more chance to get a game-winning basket. But Otto Porter, who had 15 points in 36 minutes on the night was nowhere to be found. Where was the Bulls versatile forward over the final 0.5 seconds?

According to Porter, he was "mid-stride" with some very important NBA duties. 

Usually they catch you before you get in there (the locker room). Otto was doing his drug test. He was already in his drug test and you can't leave when you do that. He wasn't on the floor at the end! Is that nuts or what?"

-Jim Boylen 

The story of course, has a happy ending for the Bulls, as Jimmy Butler fumbled the ball on the re-do and the Bulls — yet again? — came away with the win on Wednesday night.

Zach LaVine added that it was among the funnier things to happen to him in his career.

"Yeah, I've never had anything like that happen before," LaVine said. "They started the clock early so when I touched it the buzzer went off so I guess we had to bring everybody to come back on the court. I thought he was joking at first but yeah I've never experienced anything like that before."

Contact Us