NBA Officials and the Home Town Calls

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers have been blessing fans with some of the greatest basketball this season's outstanding playoffs have brought us so far. With that said, Game 5's epic collapse by Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers never should have happened in the first place. While yes, there is no excuse for blowing a 13 point lead with under four minutes to go, it is tough to believe the Clippers would have actually blown that lead if it weren't for some awful calls from the officials.

We can totally ignore that the Thunder (they were at home for this one) shot 36 free throws and the Clippers shot 16 less with 20, right? I mean, 28 of those 36 were all from Kevin Durant (12) or Russell Westbrook (16). Those guys are always attacking the hoop and drawing fouls. No way did they benefit from home court!

Wait, what's that? Westbrook and Durant only combined for 15 free throws during Game 3 in Los Angeles? Get out of town! It's almost as if they get more foul calls when they play at home. That is totally bizarre! Sarcasm aside, it should be noted that even in LA, the Thunder shot more free throws that game. And yes, it is once again because OKC's wings are more likely to attack the basket and draw a foul. Going in to Game 5, OKC and LAC had both taken 107 free throws in the series. That must mean that calls are going both ways, right down the middle, right? To the naked eye, sure it does. Consider, though, that OKC instituted a bit of hack-a-DeAndre in games one and four of the series, where he would go a combined 2 for 15, and all of a sudden maybe the calls aren't really going both ways. Either way, it is too close to honestly say the refs have been favoring one side or the other. There is no reason to think there is some elaborate scheme by the NBA. They make a ton of money no matter the result. Either the giant-market of LA advances along with their closely-followed owner's debacle, or one of the NBA's biggest stars advances to the next stage. It is a win-win for the NBA.

So, why complain?

http://thebiglead.com/2014/05/14/freeze-frame-shouldnt-this-have-been-clippers-ball/

The player in the white is Reggie Jackson of OKC and the player in the blue is Matt Barnes of LA. This play happened with 11.3 seconds left in the game, with the Clippers leading 104 to 102. It was ruled Oklahoma City's ball, even though anyone can clearly see that the ball went out off of Reggie Jackson's hand. Mind you, this play was reviewed by the refs and still ruled Thunder ball.

The article I got that picture from provides this definition of the ruling justifying the call:

http://thebiglead.com/2014/05/14/freeze-frame-shouldnt-this-have-been-clippers-ball/

The problem is that Barnes hit Jackson's left arm and the ball went out off of his right. Therefore, that is most certainly a blown call. Doc Rivers went into a frenzy and after the game had this to say:

Of course the world is out to attack Chris Paul now. I'm not quite sure why CP3 rubs so many people the wrong way. Yes, he is a notorious flopper. So what? It is a part of the game now (albeit smaller ever since the fines were put into place - whether people believe it or not). Name me your favorite player and I'm sure I can find you ample examples of him flopping.

What is it, then? His lack of success on a horrible team in New Orleans? His lack of success last year with a coach who made no adjustments and a Blake Griffin (sometimes) playing on one ankle? Or his "turnover" in Game 1 against Golden State where, after review, it was incredibly clear that Draymond Green hacked the living hell out of Paul but since the NBA's rules are just so great they couldn't change the call to a foul and instead had to say the ball was out of bounds off Paul?

Or his horrible State Farm commercials? For that, I could not blame someone. Please, let them end. And for those who Google, "Is Cliff Paul real?" ... get off the internet.

There really isn't an excuse for Paul's last 16 seconds of play tonight. Before the final 16 seconds, Jamal Crawford had one of the worst timed and executed isolations anyone had all night...

...Jamal, you had Kendrick Perkins on you out on the perimeter. I'm fairly certain even Adam Morrison could have shattered him there. Go practice your layups.

After his failure, CP3's brain farts began. Durant brought OKC within two quickly. However, the game was down to less than 24 seconds, turning the shot clock off and as long as LA could make their free throws the game was theirs. Instead, as Westbrook ran toward Chris Paul to foul him with 16 seconds left at half-court, Paul attempted to shoot in order to receive three foul shots....

...Why Chris? If you made both free throws, it would be a two-possession game with 16 seconds left. You don't need three free throws...

Anyway, instead of fouling, Westbrook steals the ball from Paul's pathetic attempt at drawing the three-shot foul. This is when the ball was passed to Jackson, and then deflected out of bounds.

Did Chris Paul mess up? Big time. Did Matt Barnes bail him out? You bet he did. Unfortunately, the refs didn't see it that way. They gift-wrapped the ball to Oklahoma City.

Once again...

 

http://thebiglead.com/2014/05/14/freeze-frame-shouldnt-this-have-been-clippers-ball/

If the refs want to call a foul there, then sure that makes sense. There is clear contact. But this brings us back to the Clippers' Game 1 against Golden State, doesn't it? Remember this play?

This seems like a complete role-reversal, doesn't it? Well, good 'ole Chris Paul didn't have the call go his way in either instance. Paul was hacked by the Warriors' Green, and it was clear in the replay. By NBA rules, however, they could not call the foul after review. Instead, they can only change who it was out off of and clearly it was out off of Paul (after he was fouled). Possession: Golden State. How about a little consistency, fellas?

This time around, even if Barnes fouled Jackson, the refs can only determine who it was out off of. And they determined that it was out off of Barnes? Really?

Chris Paul messed up. He should have just taken the foul and shot his free throws. Nevertheless, his teammate bailed him out. The Clippers were in a position to win, thanks in large part to Paul's double-double (he's had one in each game in this series so far). The referees, however, would not allow it.

Paul did mess up again. With less than 7 seconds left, Westbrook pulled up for an ill-advised three-pointer and completely bricked it. However, a foul was called on Chris Paul who may have slightly grazed Westbrook's arm on the shot. While it was definitely a very weak call, TNT announcer Steve Kerr got it right: you can't be that close to Westbrook there and give the ref a reason to blow the whistle. Paul got too close. Shame on him for trying to lock down on the last possession. He should have known where he was playing.

Within the last 6 seconds, Paul and the Clippers had a chance to take the win anyway. They were only down by 1. Paul tried to dribble his way to the hoop and dish the ball to Blake Griffin. Instead, he was stripped. Game over, OKC 105 LAC 104.

There's no crying in basketball. Chris Paul messed up badly. Did he put his team in a position to win, though? On the road in one of the toughest places to play? Yup, and the refs stole it from him.

Game 6 should be electrifying and NBA fans will truly be treated if this series goes to seven games. Hopefully the calls aren't so bad in the future.