The Portland Trail Blazers have officially filed a protest to the NBA following their devastating 111-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. The Blazers are contesting the officiating decisions made at the end of the game, which they believe cost them the victory.

In the final moments of the game, with the Blazers holding a one-point lead and less than 20 seconds on the clock, Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon found himself trapped by two Thunder defenders as he crossed halfcourt. Attempting to call a timeout, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was unable to get the attention of the officials, who were focused on the play. As a result, Brogdon was called for a double-dribble, inciting Billups' frustration and subsequent ejection from the game after receiving two technical fouls.

Following the technical fouls, the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander split his free throws, giving the Thunder possession. Jalen Williams took advantage of the opportunity and delivered a game-winning pull-up mid-range jumper, leaving the Blazers stunned and disappointed with the bizarre outcome.

Billups expressed his frustration after the game, stating that referees should be prepared for situations like this and emphasizing the effort put in by his players. The Blazers are questioning why their timeout call was not acknowledged and believing that the officiating errors cost them a hard-earned victory.

The official pool report from referee Bill Kennedy shed some light on the situation. Kennedy explained that Billups attempted to call a timeout while the officials were focused on the play, resulting in his technical fouls. However, critics argue that the referees might not have been able to hear or see the Blazers coach from behind the play.

With this controversial loss, the Thunder now find themselves joining a three-way tie for the top seed in the Western Conference with an overall record of 30-13. On the other hand, the Blazers suffer a setback, dropping to 12-31 and likely focusing on internal development and their draft position for the remainder of the season.

In what can only be described as a disappointing turn of events for the Blazers, this game highlighted the importance of seizing opportunities in close contests. While good teams find ways to win in tight circumstances, the Blazers, unfortunately, found a new and creative way to let this victory slip through their fingers against the Thunder.

The NBA will now review the Blazers' protest and determine whether any corrective action is necessary. The outcome of this review will undoubtedly have an impact on the Blazers' season moving forward.

Up next for the Blazers is another challenging NBA matchup, where they will once again look to bounce back and overcome the hurdles that have plagued them throughout the season.