At the end of the Magic/Pistons game, Keyon Dooling was whistled for a foul and a technical foul for the same play. A Pistons player drove to the basket and Dooling fouled him about 10-feet from the basket. The player kept going to the rim and jumped for a shot, so Dooling hit him again, which earned a technical foul.
I thought it was a horrible call. Sure, players should not be hit in the chest when the play is "over," which at every other level of basketball is when the whistle blows.
However, in the NBA, you never know when the official will call continuation and allow the basket. I have seen players fouled one step inside the three-point line still get a lay-up counted with the foul. Some of the calls are outrageous.
So, in a one-point game, Dooling took no chances. When the Piston attempted to continue his shot, he fouled the player again. Since, apparently you cannot have two fouls on the same play, the second was called a technical.
I agree with protecting players. However, as long as the officials will call the continuation in such cases, the defender has to have the right to continue fouling to stop the shot. Why should the offensive player get to absorb a foul, take two more steps and make a shot without allowing another player, or the same player, to contest the shot? That is effectively what the call tonight accomplishes.
If the NBA wants to protect players, stop allowing ridiculous continuation baskets and then penalize the defense in instances like this evening. However, if the offense continues the play with the intent to score after the whistle, why should the defense be forced to stop playing when the whistle blows?
On another official's note, the call I would like to see eliminated, more than anything, is rewarding the offensive player for pump faking and then hurling himself into the defender. I am tired of announcers commenting on how smart an offensive player is because he can jump three feet forward to draw contact against a defender who jumped straight up and down. There are times when the offensive player does draw contact and does deserve the call. But, it certainly isn't automatic. I don't understand how an offensive player can jump three-feet forward with the clear intent of drawing contact and get rewarded with the foul on the defense.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
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1 comments:
Agreed and agreed, I'm always annoyed when players get called for a foul and than just stop knowing that the offensive player can still score 5 seconds later, glad to see them try and stop them and the NBA needs to make up their minds if the player can still score they can still be stopped. And on the other thing this is one of the most frustrating things, kobe bryant and tracy mcgrady always do it and they always get the call, my question is that doesn't the defensive player need space to land to if they jump straight up or to the side of a jump shooter and he jumps into them after they have left the ground shouldn't it be an offensive foul?
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