http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/04/blake_shares_happy_thoughts.html A technical here wasn't warranted IMO -- I think the refs were worried about the game getting chippy underneath, and they decided to call a quick one. What do you think: a no call, a double tech, a tech on Yao, a tech on Joel. What would have made the most sense here? Pryzbilla does admit he gave a "shove", but as can be seen in the replay it was just in response to Yao's momentum carrying his massive body into him. The refs need to just understand who's involved. Pryzbilla and Yao are not the kind of guys who'll break out in a fight. Just let them play basketball; they're mature enough to handle themselves the right way.
It should have been a non-call both ways. Both the foul on Joel, and the T on Joel. But considering the foul they whistled on Greg later in the game where he basically stood there and was called for a foul, it's not surprising that is a "foul" and a "T".
The refs call that foul on the post players baseline spin pretty consistently. The rules say you're not allowed to extend your forearms as a post defender to impede the progress of the offensive player. That's what Pryzbilla did when Yao spun.
If we're going to go on what is supposed to not be "allowed" (or what is), then I think my point stands. They change the rules for certain players. Like last night, Wade carried the ball on the way to the hoop, but no call.
On the technical - I'd like to see refs give warnings in situations like that. I agree with your assessment, that the refs didn't want the game to get overly physical and "chippy", and since it was early in the game, one of the refs decided Joel's little shove was worth a "T." It was worth a stern warning to both Joel and Yao. As far as how the game is being called - it's wildly inconsistent, in my opinion. Overall, the refs are allowing a great deal more physical contact by defensive players than is normally allowed during the regular season (no big surprise there), but there are players they seem to have a quicker whistle on, than others (Oden being the most obvious "offender").
The pathetic part about the whole call was that Yao had a much more egregious push-off after a play in game 2 than did Przybilla's game 3 version, and it went uncalled, unnoticed. Greg Oden was called in game one for a tech on another similar play that shouldn't have been called a tech. It's getting pretty absurd at this point. All the little bad calls add up. 80-80 after Rudy's three instead of 81-80 for example. Sure, that play by Rudy would never have happened had the score been 77-80, but the point remains. You never know what would've happened. And the one-sided bad calls do end up affecting the outcome.
There was no foul, and at the time I assumed the T was on Artest who appeared to be trying to start something. But then this entire series has been a fix from the get-go and I expect more of the same. By these standards Yao should have a 10 game suspension for the 3 times he knocked Joel down in the first game.
Pryzbilla admitted he gave Yao a little shove there. It was innocent enough, but we shouldn't be shocked if the refs give out a technical. And no Rocket player has shoved a Blazer in this series, so this double-standard talk is nonsensical. Pryzbilla and Oden got T'd up by quick-whistled refs, sucks for them, but the Rockets definitely have not been shoving Blazers around in an unsportsmanlike manner. They're just playing tough, physical basketball, which isn't the same thing as pushing players out of frustration.
The rules also say your not allowed to hook your non dribbling arm around the defenders side/hip as you spin to dislodge the defensive player. That's what Yao did when he spun, and something he's done several times this series with it always resulting in a no-call or a foul on Joel/Greg.
I just watched it a number of times, and while Yao's arm does swing out I'm not sure that qualifies as a "hook". It's not really going around his side/hip. The play starts at 1:20 in the video. [video=youtube;Nsze4doO2OA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsze4doO2OA[/video]
Not the best angle, TNT (or ESPN, whichever broadcast it was that night) showed several replays from the baseline cameraman and Yao's right arm definitely hooked around Pryz. Even in that video though you can see Yao's right arm extend and push Joel to his left, away from Yao as he spun to the basket, just before they collided back together and Pryz picked up the T. I can see it being a no call sure, Yao's a superstar and he'll get that preferential treatment, but to hit Joel with a foul and then add a T for a bump afterwards was just absurd and had me screaming at the TV as they showed the replay.
I thought it should have been a no call. But as for the rest of the reffing, I am generally of the thought that I am willing to forgive a ref for a no-call, but get very upset when they call a foul that did not exist. And I saw that too many times this series. A no-call can happen because a ref A) did not see it, B) thought it was not a great enough foul, C) is a shitty ref. But calling a foul where one does not exist is just because the ref is shitty. The ref thought that a foul was likely, not that they saw one. This needs to be fixed. I would like refs to ere on the side certainty.
