National Basketball Association

NBA: Dwight Howard's sixth foul was incorrect call

Published Apr. 21, 2014 5:16 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK -- The NBA says the call that resulted in Houston's Dwight Howard fouling out Sunday was incorrect. Instead, the All-Star center should have received two free throws that could have given the Rockets the lead.

Howard was called for his sixth foul with 10.8 seconds left in overtime while trying to get the rebound of James Harden's missed 3-pointer. Portland's Joel Freeland made one free throw, the final point in the Trail Blazers' 122-120 victory.

But replay showed Freeland with an arm around Howard's back holding him. NBA president of operations Rod Thorn says in a statement Monday the foul should have been on Freeland.