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I watched numerous replays of this with four other officials that very night. All of us agreed that unless one can clearly see the ball move downward from its apex, then the block is legal. Unless it is obvious, the benefit of the doubt has to go to the defensive player making an athletic play.
On this play, even with instant replay, it is not clear that the ball has started downward.
Lastly, I don't believe that this was Ed Hightower's call anyway. He was the official on the opposite side of the basket from the drive and shot. The Trail probably had a better look than Hightower, he just happened to be tableside and thus got the brunt of Huggins's complaining.
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