Heat v. Pacers: Game 4

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by APG

LeBron James' fourth foul:

Can't be a foul -- he blocked the shot.

[jeschmit]

I like the illegal screen call... he gave 'em a knee and knocked him off his RSBQ.

The travel call is a tough one because I've seen NBA (and even NCAA) players get away with MUCH worse than that before. By rule, its the correct call though.

The verticality foul on LBJ I believe is an incorrect call. He jumped straight up and the offensive player bumped him. LBJ didn't do anything wrong on that play, IMO.

[JRutledge]

He looked vertical, shot blocked or not. I did not like that call. LBJ had a point.

Peace

[Pantherdreams]

Obivously at any level below the NBA these are great calls all the time. I think these aren't incorrect calls in the NBA but tough calls there.

The screen is illegal but in terms of consistency and advantage/disadvantage there are some areas that seem fuzzy to me. If that screen is illegal then over the course of the NBA season and playoffs there are dozens and dozens of fouls on screens being missed. The contact also occurs as the defender guesses wrong on the dribble move by Wade. Ie. He was getting blown by whether the screen was legal or not because even if he isn't knocked down he's still on the wrong side of Lebron. I would say this is 50/50 NBA call, almost 100% at any other level.

I tend to feel the same way about the travel. I know there are a couple of travels there in any other rule set. In the NBA its close a couple of times. If this is called a travel all the time I've got no problem with it, the difficulty occurs if this is a rare or isolated incident. Probably the correct call but a tough call at this level in this situation.

[deecee]

The screen call was so confusing as far as I'm concerned. Most screens in the NBA look like lead blocks and pseudo wrestling moves. I can't figure out what is called when and why in the NBA in regards to screens.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

He looked vertical, shot blocked or not. I did not like that call. LBJ had a point.

Peace

It was pointed out to me by a FB friend that also used to come here, that this might be an RA situation. LBJ's right foot appears to be on the RA circle and if that is the case, that is probably why it was a foul. I am pretty sure that it the same at the NCAA level. Otherwise he was totally vertical and other than the RA this would be nothing from my point of view without the RA positioning.

Peace

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

It was pointed out to me by a FB friend that also used to come here, that this might be an RA situation. LBJ's right foot appears to be on the RA circle and if that is the case, that is probably why it was a foul. I am pretty sure that it the same at the NCAA level. Otherwise he was totally vertical and other than the RA this would be nothing from my point of view without the RA positioning.

This is the only reason I thought play #3 could've been a foul. That being said, establishing LGP in the RA doesn't prevent someone from playing defense and Crawford didn't make any motion to the RA, it appears he just called the body contact.

The illegal screen was a good call but I feel the same was as others who've responded: You see plays worse than that in the NBA - and NCAA, to be honest - that never get called so it just didn't feel right. Same thing with the travel.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

This is the only reason I thought play #3 could've been a foul. That being said, establishing LGP in the RA doesn't prevent someone from playing defense and Crawford didn't make any motion to the RA, it appears he just called the body contact.

The illegal screen was a good call but I feel the same was as others who've responded: You see plays worse than that in the NBA - and NCAA, to be honest - that never get called so it just didn't feel right. Same thing with the travel.

Maybe APG can clarify this, but I am not so sure that is the mechanic at the NBA level the same way it is at the NCAA level. I could be wrong, but I would like to know for sure. I know I do not see the NBA officials pointing like they do at the NCAA level requires us to do.

I believe that LBJ was called for an illegal screen in that game on his second foul. And I have several examples of illegal screens in the NBA. So to say that is not ever called is not quite accurate. It is not called very technically for sure, but it is called when there is clearer displacement. And this play the player was tripped and could not cleanly get around LBJ. That is why I loved the call and the way I make these calls.

Peace

[Raymond]

I didn't see the game. Was there a play where David West hammered D-Wade? Can we get video on that?