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This time, refs let Shaq be Shaq
This time, refs let Shaq be Shaq
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Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com Posted: 10 hours ago |
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Every game, whether it's a neck-and-neck race to the finish line or a total blowout right out of the gate, always features a handful of critical sequences that are scattered throughout. The Heat's 88-76 trampling of the Pistons in Game 5 was no different. The only unique aspect here was that the game's most crucial play occurred within fifteen seconds of the tip-off. FOX Bite
There was Shaq, parked in his usual spot on the left block and receiving an entry pass from Eddie Jones. As soon as he clutched the ball, Shaq blatantly straightened up Ben Wallace with a massive forearm shiver. Then Shaq spun baseline and blasted Wallace with a hip and a shoulder with sufficient force to send Big Ben reeling. The resulting dunk was therefore unopposed. Meanwhile, the refs merely sucked on their whistles. Why was this play so important? Only because the refs had made a passive spectator of Shaq with a series of awful calls in Game 4. (See Referees Shortchange Shaq.) The message Thursday night in Miami was that the league had reviewed the video of Game 4, admitted that Shaq had been unfairly penalized for doing what he's always done and that several make-up calls (and non-calls) were in order. And Shaq took full advantage of his license to batter B. Wallace in the paint. It was, indeed, Shaq's early dominance that allowed the Heat to grab control of the game. The second key play happened at 4:49 of the first quarter when Dwyane Wade committed his second personal foul in trying to defend Tayshaun Prince in the low-post. Having Prince go at Wade was a major piece of Detroit's game plan. And it seemed to be successful when Wade was subsequently forced to the bench. Just about 110 seconds later, Shaq also collected his second foul—a belated reach into B. Wallace's kitchen that even sympathetic refs couldn't ignore. And, like Wade, Shaq was temporarily banished to the pines. With Miami's two superstars temporarily out of action, the home team was extremely vulnerable — and the Pistons seemed to be poised to snatch the lead. But Damon Jones' hot-shooting paired with some energetic play by Alonzo Mourning maintained the Heat's edge. Here's another significant play: At 6:46 of the second quarter, Rasheed Wallace drove to the hoop and collided with Wade. To a disinterested onlooker, it appeared that Wade had not established the proper position and was clearly guilty of a blocking foul. Steve Javie immediately tooted his tooter, but made no indication of what his call would be. Would it be a block? Or a charge? Javie hesitated for another beat, no doubt reminding himself that Wade already was burdened with two fouls, that the game was being played in Miami and that a Heat-Spurs final would the most popular matchup … or perhaps Javie was just rerunning the sequence in his mind's eye. In any case, he chose to hang the foul on Rasheed. It should be noted that because R. Wallace usually throws a tantrum whenever a call goes against him, the league's refs do not view him in a good light. Hey, the guy always shows them up. Right? So it's easy for them to chump Rasheed. If R. Wallace succeeded in containing his displeasure, Larry Brown yelled, stomped and freaked out enough to warrant an ensuing technical. And guess what? Before the game was over, Rasheed would be called for two more charging fouls and hit with a tech of his own. For all intents and purposes, the game was done and won by Miami. But in the third quarter, the Heat made Stan Van Gundy sweat. First came a four-point play when Eddie Jones missed a point-blank shot and Prince ran himself into a dunker on the resulting fast break. Next up was a forced shot by Keyon Dooling that also sent the Pistons off and running—this time Detroit's payoff was a bucket, plus one, by Rip Hamilton. The swift turnaround narrowed Miami's lead but another cascade of jumpers by Damon and Eddie Jones restored the Heat's sizeable lead. With the game just about in Miami's pocket, Wade was involved in a series of plays that will certainly impact Game 6 and perhaps beyond. Again, Prince posted and re-posted Wade, aiming to further cripple the youngster with more foul trouble, or at least force the Heat to send help and thereby create open spaces for Chauncey Billups and Hamilton. But Wade managed to strip Prince and come away with the ball. Next time down, Wade leaped high to tip away the entry pass and Udonis Haslem came up with the interception. Clearly, Prince in the pivot against Wade no longer constitutes the lopsided edge that the Pistons were planning to exploit. We all know what happened at 2:39 of the third quarter: Wade was off-balance in a battle for a rebound and suffered a rib injury. He was quickly hustled off to the locker room. (He returned for a few painful minutes in the fourth quarter before taking himself out for good.) But Eddie Jones and Rasual Butler took up the slack and the Heat continued to sizzle.
How bad is Wade's injury? Will he play in Game 6? And if he does play, how much will his movements be hindered? Right now there are more questions than there are answers. And, finally, as a comic sequel to the refs' all-important non-call on Shag to start the game, at 4:59 of the fourth quarter, the Big Load was called for a phantom charging foul. It was another ridiculous decision—a statement call to demonstrate the refs' impartiality. And, besides, it was too late in the game for the call to have the slightest influence on the outcome. But, hey, guys! Refs are certainly allowed to make bad calls—just as long as their calls are consistent. This is always a charge. That is always a block. And so on. Good, bad, or indifferent, the players will adjust and play according to the rules-of-the-moment. But something is amiss when both teams (as well as unbiased observers) have no idea what the call will be every time the whistle blows. It remains to be seen then for whom the whistle blows in Game 6. Charley Rosen, former CBA coach, author of 12 books about hoops, the current one being A pivotal season — How the 1971-72 L.A. |
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