Men's Championship Game

[mick]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

You forgot your smiley face.

No way that was flagrant...ever. Relatively little contact as he ran by him....both at full speed. He was trying to avoid it but misjudged where the shooter was going to go. Sure it happened to topple him, but the defender didn't duck down under and take his legs out.

The first time, and each time, I saw it, I thought that the defender did undercut the shooter with intention.

Was he just trying to cause the shooter to alter his shot? I don't think so.
Was he trying to injure the shooter? I don't think so.
They don't even do that undercut in the NBA. The defender steps away and watches because the repercussions would be enormous.

The defender angled under him and slowed. in order to be in the path. He knew exactly where the shooter was, and he knew exactly what the result was going to be.

Then why wasn't the intentional called? Because the defender made no other overt move at the shooter, because the shooter didn't get hurt and because the officials did not think the game would be better for such a call [much like the no-call on the 25' bouncy ball].

Did the defender know what he was doing ? You can take it to the bank.