Miami Heat v. New York Knicks: LeBron Block Attempt and Foul

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I would agree with this, but people who work a level of ball where there are regularly plays like this will learn how to not call this.

Of course, there are always the people (normally middle school and jv coaches) who insist any contact with an airborne shooter is an "automatic" foul.

And that is part of the problem. They call this crap at these lower levels and they get patted on the back for doing so. Then when they get to a HS game with some players that can jump, then they call fouls.

Funny how I worked an AAU Tournament this past weekend with kids that might have been no older than 10 years old. On one play a kid split two defenders and lost his balance and threw up some crap to attempt a shot. I saw the entire thing and the defenders literally did not touch him, but he fell down on his face basically and the coach complained and ask me how that was not a foul? I answered by saying, "The the defenders did nothing wrong or illegal, he just fell." The coach basically said, "He cannot fall over air?" It was funny because I guess he has never seen a 10 year old fall down on his own not only in basketball, but while playing in the street. I am convinced officials buy into that thinking and call things that are easy because it is accepted. Not that what I just described was the exact kind of play, but it certainly is the reason I think many will call a foul even when any contact takes place with a shooter. They do not have the ability to have courage to not call what is not there or to explain why it was not a foul to a hostile coach. But experience teaches you sometimes that you are doing no one a favor by calling a foul just to be calling a foul.

Peace

[rockyroad]

Hey APG...any chance you can post McGee's block of Gasol from last night? LAte in the 4th quarter (less than a minute to go, I think) and McGee rejected Gasol's dunk attempt...

[APG]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Hey APG...any chance you can post McGee's block of Gasol from last night? LAte in the 4th quarter (less than a minute to go, I think) and McGee rejected Gasol's dunk attempt...

[rockyroad]

Thanks APG! Not quite the same kind of play, but I am interested to see if all those who are saying the first one by James "has to be a foul" will the say the same about this one...after all, McGee's follow through makes some contact with Gasol.

Plus, I really liked the play whan it happened and they didn't show any replays of it last night!

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Thanks APG! Not quite the same kind of play, but I am interested to see if all those who are saying the first one by James "has to be a foul" will the say the same about this one...after all, McGee's follow through makes some contact with Gasol.

Plus, I really liked the play whan it happened and they didn't show any replays of it last night!

I say no foul on this one.

(And on the James one, I never said it I had to be a foul or even should have been a foul, just that it was justifiable within the rules.)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

I say no foul on this one.

If this play had happened in my high school game, I would not have a foul.

[ballgame99]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Thanks APG! Not quite the same kind of play, but I am interested to see if all those who are saying the first one by James "has to be a foul" will the say the same about this one...after all, McGee's follow through makes some contact with Gasol.

Plus, I really liked the play whan it happened and they didn't show any replays of it last night!

No way, this one is clean. The defender goes vertical in his space, contact is created primarily by the offense.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by ballgame99

contact is created primarily by the offense.

Oh, I see...Gasol slammed the side of his face into McGee's arm on the follow-through. That makes sense.

[ballgame99]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Oh, I see...Gasol slammed the side of his face into McGee's arm on the follow-through. That makes sense.

I don't see much head contact on the play. I just see Gasol trying to dunk on someone and not being successful at it.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

On one play a kid split two defenders and lost his balance and threw up some crap to attempt a shot. I saw the entire thing and the defenders literally did not touch him, but he fell down on his face basically and the coach complained and ask me how that was not a foul? I answered by saying, "The the defenders did nothing wrong or illegal, he just fell." The coach basically said, "He cannot fall over air?"

Even if there was contact, it might not have been illegal contact. There's a difference between tripping, and being tripped. One is legal. The other isn't.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Even if there was contact, it might not have been illegal contact. There's a difference between tripping, and being tripped. One is legal. The other isn't.

Very true. And in this particular play, he was not even falling because of contact, he just fell. Other times there was some contact and I believe the young man felt there was going to be some contact, but the defenders backed off. As a result the player fell on his own.

Peace