“NBA Rescinds Technical Foul on Magic Coach Dale Osbourne After Review, Highlighting Controversial Calls

One of the biggest complaints in the modern NBA is that referees often give players and coaches technical fouls too quickly.

The league tries to fix this by reviewing each technical foul after the game, but it doesn’t change the fact that the other team gets a free throw. Recently, the NBA overturned a technical foul in the Memphis Grizzlies vs Orlando Magic game.

The NBA said that Magic assistant coach Dale Osbourne’s technical foul, given at 2:21 in the 2nd quarter, was cancelled after a review by the league.

It’s not clear what Osbourne said, but it looks like he was just giving defensive instructions to his team.

How is this a technical foul? https://t.co/EJEM86bX3L pic.twitter.com/HIJfM1gNef

— The Magic Way (@MagicFilmRoom) February 22, 2025 The league shared this on their official social media account.

Dale Osbourne’s (ORL) technical foul at 2:21 of the 2nd quarter on 21/2/25 (vs. MEM) has been rescinded after a review by the league office.

— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) February 26, 2025 NBA reporter Casey Holdahl was surprised by the technical foul.

Via @CHold: “Dale Osbourne has to be one of the nicest guys in the NBA, I literally can’t imagine giving him a tech.”

Dale Osbourne has to be one of the nicest guys in the NBA, I literally can’t imagine giving him a tech https://t.co/flOr3tfYOA

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) February 26, 2025 The Memphis Grizzlies won the game against the Orlando Magic by just one point on February 21. When you think about the technical foul, it’s actually a big deal for the Grizzlies to get an extra free point because of a wrong call. If the game had been between two big teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, there would have been a much bigger reaction.

Sometimes, luck plays a part in basketball, and the Grizzlies were lucky to get the benefit of a wrong call against the Magic on Friday.