New York, NY -- (Sports Network) - The NBA issued a statement admitting an officiating error following a controversial finish to Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series between the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

Following a timeout with 6.5 seconds to go, Denver, down 105-103, inbounded the ball at half-court to Carmelo Anthony, who bobbled before regaining possession and dribbling to the right wing.

With a foul to give, Antoine Wright bumped the forward with time winding down. Wright stopped playing, waiting for a whistle that never came, as Anthony swished an off-balanced game-winning three with one second left.

The Mavericks were irate about the lack of a foul call and displayed their emotions to the officials after Nowitzki's last-ditch heave from behind the three-point line fell well off the mark.

"I was positive a whistle was coming, just like everybody else was positive the whistle was coming, and the only reason why it didn't come sooner is because [Anthony] lost the ball," said Wright, recalling Denver's last possession. "I tried to hit him before he got into the shooting motion, I felt like I did, and the whistle wasn't blowing."

Hours after the game, the NBA agreed with Wright, issuing the following statement:

"At the end of the Dallas-Denver game this evening (Saturday), the officials missed an intentional foul committed by Antoine Wright on Carmelo Anthony, just prior to Anthony's three-point basket," stated Joel Litvin, president of league and basketball operations.

The error was critical, as Denver now holds a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. No team has recovered from that deficit in NBA history.