Heat v. Pacers: Game 4
 

The two main plays that are probably going to be discussed by the media:

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Great screen call. The travel call at NCAA and NF level is clearly a travel, but it appears that is not the case under NBA rules.

APG, can you quote the rule please to help with the discussion?

Also there is a call when LBJ got his 5th foul where he jumped up and contacted the shooter. I would like to see it again. Sorry, I do not have the exact time this took place. Somewhere under 5 minutes I believe in the 4th quarter.

Peace

Here is the pertinent part in the NBA rule book:

Rule 10, Section XIII

b. A player who receives the ball while he is progressing or upon completion of a dribble, may take two steps in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball. A player who receives the ball while he is progressing must release the ball to start his dribble before his second step.

The first step occurs when a foot, or both feet, touch the floor after gaining control of the ball.

The second step occurs after the first step when the other foot touches the floor, or both feet touch the floor simultaneously

So in the play, Wade completes his dribble with his right foot on the floor. The first step occurs AFTER gaining control of the ball, so his first step occurs when he steps back with his left foot. His second step occurs when he steps back with his right foot.

LeBron James' fourth foul:

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Like the screen call.
Don't like the Wade travel or PF on James.

One discussion.......
 

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

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.

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

Peace

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.

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.

I might have changed my mind.
 

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

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

Video Request
 

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