BOYCOTT Game 7!!!!!

[Juneauz]

To me that's a clean block. I wish it wasn't.

[Sievers81]

Folks don't think that that is a foul?

If that sort of defense is allowed, FG% on jump shots will be around 15% next year.

First time I've seen the replay since I walked away as soon as the buzzer went off and I've been defending the most of the calls. But that is pretty disgraceful to be not picked up by 3 Refs.

Sure Green may not have hit all the FT's but at least put it up to chance.

[fairweatherfan]

What a joke.  The Allen play on Ginobili and the Bosh contest on Danny Green's three pointer weren't even fouls--if there was contact on either of those plays it was minimal.

I'm disappointed in you folks, I really am.  That was one of the most well fought NBA finals games in recent memory.  Stop trying to cheapen it with pathetic cries about the referees.

Agreed.

Thirded.  Incredible game, I was rooting for SA so I wish those calls had been made, but they were consistent with how the game was called in crunch time.  Particularly the Bosh play.

Hats off to LeBron, Allen, and even Bosh for their big plays, though I can't stand two of them.

It was a great game.  However, are all three of you saying that the non-calls related to the Manu drive and the Green three point attempt aren't fouls?

If so, I strongly disagree with that.  I won't disagree that officials have a propensity to swallow their whistles on plays late in games, but by the rulebook -- and 90% of the time -- those are both called fouls.

I'm saying the Green foul was a foul by the book, and the Manu drive would've been a foul by the book if he hadn't traveled first.  I also think the Manu play was probably very hard to see as there were about three guys around him, but again he traveled anyway.

But both were consistent with the refs letting them play in the late game, which is pretty standard at the end of big playoff games.  RLewis mentioned a couple of no-calls that went the other way - there was also a late play where Leonard knocked LeBron down as he got a rebound (legitimately, LeBron didn't flop for once), and the no-call nearly cost the Heat an 8-second violation.

Long story short the Manu call should've been a foul if he hadn't walked, but was probably very tough to see.  The Green play is a foul by the book but it's rare for anybody to get that kind of call in that situation.  Either way there's a much better case to be made for the fouls being called than for the no-calls being indicative of a deliberate conspiracy to rig the game for Miami.

[PhoSita]

Folks don't think that that is a foul?

If that sort of defense is allowed, FG% on jump shots will be around 15% next year.

First time I've seen the replay since I walked away as soon as the buzzer went off and I've been defending the most of the calls. But that is pretty disgraceful to be not picked up by 3 Refs.

Sure Green may not have hit all the FT's but at least put it up to chance.

That's a clean block on the ball with some incidental lower body contact.

Calling that a foul in that situation would be a travesty.

[Roy H.]

Folks don't think that that is a foul?

If that sort of defense is allowed, FG% on jump shots will be around 15% next year.

First time I've seen the replay since I walked away as soon as the buzzer went off and I've been defending the most of the calls. But that is pretty disgraceful to be not picked up by 3 Refs.

Sure Green may not have hit all the FT's but at least put it up to chance.

That's a clean block on the ball with some incidental lower body contact.

Calling that a foul in that situation would be a travesty.

I disagree.  As I've said previously, if the NBA consistently allowed contact like that on jump shots, the league-wide shooting percentage on jumpers would be around 15%.

You can't let defenders take out a shooter's legs, and call it a no-call just because the shot was blocked.

[Roy H.]

Either way there's a much better case to be made for the fouls being called than for the no-calls being indicative of a deliberate conspiracy to rig the game for Miami.

I agree.  The game wasn't rigged.  If it was, the refs did a really, really terrible job, risking the series to a Ray Allen clutch three pointer.

But, those last two calls sucked.

[PhoSita]

Folks don't think that that is a foul?

If that sort of defense is allowed, FG% on jump shots will be around 15% next year.

First time I've seen the replay since I walked away as soon as the buzzer went off and I've been defending the most of the calls. But that is pretty disgraceful to be not picked up by 3 Refs.

Sure Green may not have hit all the FT's but at least put it up to chance.

That's a clean block on the ball with some incidental lower body contact.

Calling that a foul in that situation would be a travesty.

I disagree.  As I've said previously, if the NBA consistently allowed contact like that on jump shots, the league-wide shooting percentage on jumpers would be around 15%.

You can't let defenders take out a shooter's legs, and call it a no-call just because the shot was blocked.

I'd be fine with that being called a foul in many game situations, but in the closing seconds of overtime in an elimination game in the Finals, it would be awful to call that.

The defender got a hand on the ball.  If he had missed the ball, it would have been a definite foul, even in that situation.  It was a defensive play with no margin for error, as far as the block attempt goes.  I'm fine with how it was called.

[scaryjerry]

How are there people in here saying that's not a foul? Absurd. body checking someone in the air shooting a 3 isn't a foul? Lol...but no surprise they don't call it there....

[fairweatherfan]

Folks don't think that that is a foul?

If that sort of defense is allowed, FG% on jump shots will be around 15% next year.

First time I've seen the replay since I walked away as soon as the buzzer went off and I've been defending the most of the calls. But that is pretty disgraceful to be not picked up by 3 Refs.

Sure Green may not have hit all the FT's but at least put it up to chance.

That's a clean block on the ball with some incidental lower body contact.

Calling that a foul in that situation would be a travesty.

I'd call the contact more than incidental, but the block up top was clean and Green was already trapped in midair and did a baby double-clutch before Bosh even got there.  He also swings the right leg into the contact a bit, which probably made the impact worse. 

I agree that giving Green free throws there would've been a huge bailout call.  And I say that as a guy who loves Danny Green and can't stand Bosh. 

I think it boils down to how you feel about the unwritten rule of allowing more contact late in games, though.

[ItStaysYang]

Oh please.  That Game 6 was the best game of the season.

The NBA did nothing but good for its brand tonight.

The NBA doesn't have a brand. It's an organization, not Shakira.

You wouldn't be very good at marketing, I'd advise not quitting your day job

[NoraG1]

Folks don't think that that is a foul?

If that sort of defense is allowed, FG% on jump shots will be around 15% next year.

First time I've seen the replay since I walked away as soon as the buzzer went off and I've been defending the most of the calls. But that is pretty disgraceful to be not picked up by 3 Refs.

Sure Green may not have hit all the FT's but at least put it up to chance.

That's a clean block on the ball with some incidental lower body contact.

Calling that a foul in that situation would be a travesty.

I disagree.  As I've said previously, if the NBA consistently allowed contact like that on jump shots, the league-wide shooting percentage on jumpers would be around 15%.

You can't let defenders take out a shooter's legs, and call it a no-call just because the shot was blocked.

I'd be fine with that being called a foul in many game situations, but in the closing seconds of overtime in an elimination game in the Finals, it would be awful to call that.

The defender got a hand on the ball.  If he had missed the ball, it would have been a definite foul, even in that situation.  It was a defensive play with no margin for error, as far as the block attempt goes.  I'm fine with how it was called.

I sm so sick and tired of people saying it is alright for a player to do whatever they want at the end of a game! A foul is a foul no matter what! Does nobody see anything wrong with that? Where is the line drawn? If it is a foul in the beginning of a game it is a foul at the end. This is the kind of thing that bothers me about the game.

[Celtics18]

Folks don't think that that is a foul?

If that sort of defense is allowed, FG% on jump shots will be around 15% next year.

It's close.  It was definitely a clean block up top.  There was a little body contact down low, though.  When I saw it live I thought it was clean. 

There was a lot of contact in that game both ways that didn't get called.  I prefer that to a game where every drive or three and flail gets a bail out. 

The refs aren't going to get everything 100% right, but if they err on the side of swallowing the whistles unless they are absolutely sure that it was a foul, then I'm happy.  I feel like they've been doing a good job of that throughout these playoffs, and it's made for a more enjoyable post-season than some other recent ones. 

The "let them play" philosophy that the refs seem to be employing in these playoffs hurts Lebron James and Dwayne Wade more than most other players in the league.  Due to their respective size, strength, and explosiveness, they inevitably draw more incidental contact than anyone else.  I'm good with games that don't turn into a parade to the free throw line. 

Kudos to the refs. 

[Juneauz]

You can't take the shot out of its context.
Green was basically jumping out of the field on his own, throwing a desperate prayer in the air. Bosh denied the ball with authority. In a last-second situation it would be ridiculous to call a foul like that.

[wdleehi]

Game 6 was entertaining.



Why would I then skip the deciding game?



p.s.  It will be better for the NBA if the Heat lose at this point.  It will create more discussion around the Heat and Lebron during the offseason.  It will attract more eyes to see if they can bounce back.

[NoraG1]

You can't take the shot out of its context.
Green was basically jumping out of the field on his own, throwing a desperate prayer in the air. Bosh denied the ball with authority. In a last-second situation it would be ridiculous to call a foul like that.

And Bosh was desperate to stop it no matter how illegal it was. He denied it with authority but it was still a foul! I think that cancels out Green's desperation. He was not allowed a clean shot.