Daigneault wanted to challenge the Diallo goaltend. Would he have won?

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Hamidou Diallo had one of the most ill-conceived plays of the season at the end of the third quarter of the 97-95 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray heaved a shot from the right side of the halfcourt line. It was actually on target, hitting the backboard and bouncing toward the rim. But Diallo was in the air at the rim trying to do … something. He touched the ball when it was on or near the rim. It was ruled a goaltend.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault went to argue with officials. In the postgame press conference, he acknowledged Diallo’s play wasn’t smart, but Daigneault thought it might not have been goaltending.

“Had I had a challenge, I would have gone and tried to get that one,” he said. “The ball has to have a chance to go in the basket in order for it to be a goaltend. I just thought the angle that he called it from, and the fact that Hami was on the other side of the rim, I thought was a pretty challengeable play.”

Daigneault had used the challenge to contest an offensive foul call on wing Lu Dort in the first quarter. It was unsuccessful. Now, at the end of the third quarter, he didn’t have it back.

Would he have won it? Let’s take a look at the replay, which ended up on NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal’s “Shaqtin’ a Fool” segment (for good reason).

Hamidou Diallo, wyd? 😅#Shaqtin pic.twitter.com/8kIqcq4etj

— Shaqtin' a Fool (@shaqtin) February 13, 2021

It probably wasn’t going to go in — the way it ricocheted off the backboard, the power it had when it hit the rim likely would have directed it away — but the ball was still over the cylinder when Diallo touched it.

The referees would have to be very, very generous to the Thunder to rule conclusively that it had no chance of going in.

The reaction of Mike Muscala, who had the best angle in the entire arena, says it all. It was a goaltend.

Daigneault, who never publicly criticizes his players, said it wasn’t a good play but managed to put in a compliment toward Diallo.

“Hami I’m sure would love that play back … it’s Hami’s spirit that makes him good. That certainly wasn’t intentional,” Daigneault said.

If it’s any consolation, Diallo’s not going to make that mistake again. That’s not a mistake a player forgets.