How big of a "swing" it was is debatable. Option 1: Blazers get called for a T before the basket. Boston gets a free throw. Portland gets the ball back. Option 2: Blazers score a basket. Boston gets a free throw and the ball. Obviously option 2 is what happened, but Portland might have scored after getting the ball back in option 1, so there might not have been any "swing". It's interesting that the refs didn't catch it, but it's not as big of a deal as Ray Ray makes it out to be. Ed O.
There were worse calls made in the game, sadly. Pierce walking down the lane and the refs not calling travel, and then giving him a FT on top of it was a disgrace.
TBH, the Celtics would have lost either way. Once they let the Blazers back in from the early 1st quarter lead, it was in serious jeopardy.
Sour grapes? None thanks. I'll take my 28-5 record and sit pretty. The Celtics and their fans have much more to concern themselves with than being stunned by the Portland kiddies. Once your team actually matters within the grand scheme of the NBA, then we'll talk about those sour grapes.
Some people would freak out. I think many of us would post things very similar to what we've done... I know my post would be pretty much identical. Ed O.
That was an interesting article, particularly this part: "What I do know is that the rule in this case is irrelevant." and this: "I believe there are some officials who would have come to their senses and made the right call, regardless of how the particular rule may or may not be written." This theme of the rules being irrelevant was throughout this article. If they made the correct call according to the rules, then the call is correct, right? It seems to me that the argument should be for a rule change, not blasting the refs for making a call with the rules in mind. Of course they missed the initial call (like everyone else on the court, watching from the stands and on tv), but they shouldn't make up for it by ignoring the rules. It's a dumb rule in my opinion. Change it.
I can only imagine the sarcastic responses about whiners and sour grapes that would be made by Boston fans if it were the other way around and Portland fans posted such a thread in the Boston forum.
Ehh. You're probably right. Just some of these people/statements make me want to put my head in the oven.
Exactly. If it's a dumb rule... change it. But don't do "what's right" irrespective of the rule. That's asking for chaos and systematic inconsistency. Ed O.
Please re-read. I hypothesized about if things were reversed [Boston had won the game and had the six-men-on-court basket] and Portland fans started a thread in Boston's forum about it. In other words, I'm pretty sure Boston fans would respond exactly as Portland fans are.
I don't need to re-read. My point is that none of the Boston fans thought it was a big enough deal to make a thread about it. I'm 100% positive that there would have been one (or more) if it were the other way around.
