Heat / Thunder and Fouls

SparJMU · 06-20-12, 08:16 AM

Glad to see an impartial person explain this logically. That 3rd quarter last night was laughable. I thought Brooks was going to explode.

thebestthereis · 06-20-12, 08:30 AM

If you are betting the NBA playoffs without knowing who the league wants to win you are going to lose. If yur guessin yur gamblin.

TheProdigy8199 · 06-20-12, 11:21 AM

I wouldn't go as far as to say that the NBa is "fixed" although I know that alot of people do, but the referees can definately "help" teams by giving them favorable calls/no-calls. I just find it strange that every one of the Heat starters has made it to the free throw line at some point in the game while only the Thunder "Big 3" were sent to the line. Westbrook scored 43 points, a majority of the points were driving in the lane and yet he was only allowed 3 free throw attempts. That doesn't seem right to me...if James had a game like Westbrook did, then he would have been to the line 25 times that game... Over the last 2 games the Heat have been to the line an average of 10 more times than the Thunder. While that may not seem like a lot; when you are talking a 4-6 point game, it makes all of the difference in the world. Critical calls/No-calls have almost decided or was the turning point in each game, and they have all favored the Heat.

I'm all for LeBron James getting a ring...he is a tremendous basketball player but I would have liked to have seen the Heat have to "EARN" it alittle more. The Heat are a great team and they are playing great, don't get me wrong, but I think with some of the impartial fans like myself there will always be talk about the refs "favoring" James and the league basically spoon-feeding him a championship.

Shafted69 · 06-20-12, 11:29 AM

uh............ maybe Westbrook is too damn fast that they can't foul him so he has to flop at the end of every drive??

TheProdigy8199 · 06-20-12, 12:06 PM

Westbrook is too fast to foul?? Really? When someone goes that quick to the basket the natural reaction when you get blown by is to put a hand out and try to slow him down. There were also plenty of contested layups where there was contact, the ball went in but there was no call. However when James puts the ball in the lane, if anyone is contesting it is an automatic foul, whether he bumps them, or they have their hand on nothing but ball...everyone anticipates the contact with James and assumes he is going to be fouled whether he is or not...I'm not hating just speaking from what I see.

As for "flopping", it's an issue...almost everyone in the league is guilty of it to some extent. 240lb guys falling all over themselves because they caught a glancing blow or someone lighty bumped into them...thats just ridiculous. I don't agree with it but it has become part of the game now...the league has 2 choices, either accept it or start issuing "Technicals" when someone is caught doing it.

SparJMU · 06-21-12, 11:49 AM

Pretty interesting articles out there yesterday and today supporting exactly what Prodigy is saying.

wrongturn · 06-21-12, 12:51 PM

Agree with prodigy. Naturally refs are more likely to call fouls on defender if attacking player is among the most famous. Remember "The Michael Jordan Treatment" ?. James and Wade are also in this category, while Westbrook is still not. The bias can get even worse for Westbrook if Wade or James is the one guarding him when he is attacking. Ironically, if he missed a few and complained, he would get to lines more often later, as refs are adjusting mentally. But he kept making the shots, so refs just let it go.

I would guess if Durant does a lot of force driving to the basket, he might get some benefit too, but he is not that type of player.