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It's not about the number of fouls or free throw attempts. It's about the the timing of the calls and the types of fouls called and not called. Mostly, though, it's about the "feel" of the game. I will give you 2 examples (for purposes of full disclosure I am a Laker fan).
1. In the 3rd quarter of game 2 the Cs had seven straight offensive possessions result in free throws. Five of those fouls were undisputable, one was 50/50 and one was horrible. That's six out of seven fouls calls that are acceptable. During the same time, Pao Gasol got hit across both arms while finishing an alley oop (replays were shown right after comfirming this) by Garnett and before that Fish was shoved to the ground on a drive. On neither occassion was a foul called. That is why I was upset. The capper was, when Pierce was given two free throws at the end to kill the Lakers come back. Was Pierce fouled? Yes. But, it just "felt" the refs were against the Lakers the whole game and this was the final gift.
2. Tonight, Game 3, Kobe was called for a foul against Pierce near the end of the game. In fact, Kobe fouled him twice. However, Pierce only got the shot he was fouled on because Garnett made 2 illegal screens. First Garnett slapped Kobe in the face, then turned his hip into him on a second attempt. Two easy fouls to see on tv that even Mark Jackson said, "there were two illegal screens there." Later, when the Garnett finally got called for one Jackson stated, "They finally got caught." Earlie the former Houston coach van something (I can't remeber) said, "It's not illegal if it's not called."
Game 2 felt and was lopsided because of what was not called on the Cs. I'm sure Celtic fans felt tonight (Game 3) was lopsided and I don't blame them and I don't need the numbers to tell me what I saw.. Why is the same bump from a Celtic on a Laker a non-foul in game 2 but a foul in game 3? Why do tv announcers and I see a foul and the ref 3 feet away swallows the whistle?
Consistency is the key. Call a foul a foul. Don't swallow the whistle just because its Garnett or Kobe who will be called or because a home team player did the deed; and in turn don't call a bump on a secoond year player that you wouldn't call on a veteran, and call a foul in the first minute and the last.. The bad officiating started with Jordan. He was first team all defense because he never got called for a foul, yet if the guy defending him used the same tactics, the guy had six fouls. It's only gotten worse since then.
Finally I admit that while the Lakers have been screwed (game 5 WCF 2002) they've also benefitted (WCF game 6 2002) from the inconsistency.
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