Cavaliers Vs Magic

[StillAWarrior]

Yeah, and did you watch the end of that game?  I know there was contact when Lebron fell, but other than Lebron, Kobe, and Dwyane, who gets that call with .5 seconds in the game?  And then Dwight Howard, another All-Star, Team USA player, gets fouled much, MUCH worse than Lebron was on the following inbound pass and nothing is called.

Not to mention the technical fouls.  Lebron can scream and throw his arms around as much as he wants (both in celebration and in complaining at refs), but if Dwight Howard so much as yells after a monster dunk it's a technical foul.

I could throw out any number of videos of bologna fouls in just this series for Lebron (for example...the 3 pointer that Dwight Howard blocked of his within a minute left of game 3, his 6th foul in game 2 I believe, could have been 1, where he was clearly straight up and jumping AWAY from Lebron to avoid contact, etc.)  It's like Wade and the 2006 playoffs all over again.  I loved it then because it was Wade, but at the same time the NBA has their players that they want/need to win and they'll do everything and anything they can to get those teams to win.  The Cavs just couldn't even pull it off with 8 players on the court at a time.

Cavs fan here, so I guess I've got some bias.  But, in the hopes of bolstering my credibility just a bit, I agree that LeBron gets calls that leave me shaking my head (but generally laughing because, after all, I'm a Cavs fan).  That said, Dwight gets calls too.  The last two calls against Varejao were crap.  The blocking call was, at best, a no-call and was arguably a foul on Howard.  The final foul when Howard and LeBron were fighting for the ball was also questionable.  And in my opinion Howard mugged Varejao twice on the final play in regulation.  Varejao had position on him and there is no way that Howard could get to that ball without going over his back -- so he pulled his arm when they were moving under the basket and then pulled him down as the ball got there.

The NBA is a star system and the stars get calls.  I totally agree that LeBron gets ridiculous calls, but I recall several calls that went Howard's way late in that game.

Also, I was pleasantly surprised by the non-call near the end of the game where LeBron tried to get the foul on the pump fake.  He got the defender up of the ground, but was late leaning in on his shot and the defender already had come down when he threw the shot up.  I thought that was a great non-call, and I honestly was shocked that they didn't call a foul given the way they have been calling these games.

[Mayor McCheese]

Yeah, and did you watch the end of that game?  I know there was contact when Lebron fell, but other than Lebron, Kobe, and Dwyane, who gets that call with .5 seconds in the game?  And then Dwight Howard, another All-Star, Team USA player, gets fouled much, MUCH worse than Lebron was on the following inbound pass and nothing is called.

Not to mention the technical fouls.  Lebron can scream and throw his arms around as much as he wants (both in celebration and in complaining at refs), but if Dwight Howard so much as yells after a monster dunk it's a technical foul.

I could throw out any number of videos of bologna fouls in just this series for Lebron (for example...the 3 pointer that Dwight Howard blocked of his within a minute left of game 3, his 6th foul in game 2 I believe, could have been 1, where he was clearly straight up and jumping AWAY from Lebron to avoid contact, etc.)  It's like Wade and the 2006 playoffs all over again.  I loved it then because it was Wade, but at the same time the NBA has their players that they want/need to win and they'll do everything and anything they can to get those teams to win.  The Cavs just couldn't even pull it off with 8 players on the court at a time.

If you thought there should have been a foul called on Varejao on that inbounds play, then thank goodness you are not a ref.  If anything it should have went against Howard.  Varejao had great positioning on Howard, and Howard was the one just pushing Varejao around and grabbing his arm to make it look like he was being fouled.  Defense has the right to get position, do you want Anderson Varejao to just give up the alley-oop, he did it enough in the overtime.

I am also sick of everyone talking about how LeBron gets all the calls.  If you watch, LeBron creates contact, he drives hard, goes up strong, players like that get calls.  Are there some bogus calls (like the Howard block call where he went over the top), yes.  But blown calls happen in every game, when James has the ball for 65% of the Cavs possessions, he will most likely get the call.

[reinko]

I 2nd second McCheese.  You want to know why players like Kobe, LeBron, and Wade get calls?  They can get to spots on the floor that other can't, because they are that good. 

And this whole, the NBA is rigged is a complete joke.  It's a vast conspriacy that only Stern, the hundreds of NBA employees, and dozens of refs know about.  Gimmie a break.

Let's be serious, who wouldn't want to see the Lakers and the Cavs in the Finals? That series would be epic.  The Thuggets play dirty and sloppy and the Magic look like an Ivy league team hoisting up 3's.  But this is just one objective fans view.

On a side note, would a Kenyon Martin puppet have a lips tattoo on the neck??

[ecompt]

I agree that the NBA is not rigged, but it is clearly the most star-friendly sport in the US. Wilt Chamberlain never fouled out of a game, Bill Russell got away with hundreds of goaltends, if you were in the same area code of MJ, it was a foul. The league's double standard is laughable.

[wadesworld]

If you thought there should have been a foul called on Varejao on that inbounds play, then thank goodness you are not a ref.  If anything it should have went against Howard.  Varejao had great positioning on Howard, and Howard was the one just pushing Varejao around and grabbing his arm to make it look like he was being fouled.  Defense has the right to get position

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLv89JDaimY (around the 1:30 mark)
Varejao is pushing him with his left hand from the second it leaves Hedo's hand.  Yes, after Dwight touches the ball he pulls Varejao down with him, definitely, but before that Varejao is pushing him the whole way.  Yes, Varejao was in front of Dwight Howard, but he never even tries to touch the basketball.  He just keeps moving Howard out.  This isn't a box out, it wasn't a shot that went off the rim.  You can't just keep taking a player out as he's trying to jump for the ball.  If he had jumped up to get the ball and Howard had jumped over his back, then I would agree with you, but he never comes close to attempting to play the basketball.

do you want Anderson Varejao to just give up the alley-oop, he did it enough in the overtime.

Apparently that's what the NBA wants any time Lebron James drives to the hoop.  No matter how stationary, straight up and down a defender is, if Lebron runs into him there's a whistle.  The only way not to get called for a foul on a Lebron drive is to literally just run out of the way and not be within 5 feet of him.  See Dwight Howard's 6th foul in game 1...that's how just about every foul on Lebron is.

I didn't meant to say the refs are told to call the game so the Cavs win, I meant that refs give Lebron James (and Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade in 2006) whatever he wants whenever he wants it, and it ruins the game.  It's one main reason I can't stand the NBA.

[StillAWarrior]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLv89JDaimY (around the 1:30 mark)
Varejao is pushing him with his left hand from the second it leaves Hedo's hand.  Yes, after Dwight touches the ball he pulls Varejao down with him, definitely, but before that Varejao is pushing him the whole way.  Yes, Varejao was in front of Dwight Howard, but he never even tries to touch the basketball.  He just keeps moving Howard out.

1:42 mark - Howard is pulling Varejao by the arm trying to get position.  I'm going to go out on a limb and assume we'll agree to disagree.

The only way not to get called for a foul on a Lebron drive is to literally just run out of the way and not be within 5 feet of him.  See Dwight Howard's 6th foul in game 1...that's how just about every foul on Lebron is.

Hyperbole is fun!  Look, I agree Lebron gets calls, but this is just ridiculous.  I also agree with others on this thread who say that Lebron gets some calls because he makes great plays -- gets to openings faster than almost anyone else and the defense is often a split second late getting there.  Just like Kobe, Wade and Howard.

[Mayor McCheese]

I watched the video... I stand by my comment of Howard is more at fault than Varejao.  Its perfect defensive positioning, would love it if one of my players on my team would D up like that.

With LeBron getting calls, I go back to my comment on it is because he creates contact.  As a basketball fan, I love players who create contact, drive hard to the hoop, are strong players with the ball... thats what James is.  Does he get calls... sure, but is it due to his reputation of creating contact, being strong with the ball, without a doubt.  The same holds true if you were to say "Rasheed Wallace attracts technical fouls, even when they are uncalled for"... his reputation gives him that.

It sucks, but its true.

[StillAWarrior]

Kinda sucks that if the Cavaliers come back and win the series, everyone will say that it is only because the NBA wants them in the Finals with the Lakers.  Never mind that they've got the best player on the floor (which always gives you a chance) and that they had the best record in the NBA this season.

[wadesworld]

Kinda sucks that if the Cavaliers come back and win the series, everyone will say that it is only because the NBA wants them in the Finals with the Lakers.  Never mind that they've got the best player on the floor (which always gives you a chance) and that they had the best record in the NBA this season.

Yes they do have the best player which will always allow them to be in the game, but it is clear that the Magic are the better TEAM (but not by far).  If not for 1 of the more ridiculous shots I've ever seen (if taking into account the situation) this series would already be over.  All games have been close, but the Magic have proven to be the better team so far.

[StillAWarrior]

Yes they do have the best player which will always allow them to be in the game, but it is clear that the Magic are the better TEAM (but not by far).  If not for 1 of the more ridiculous shots I've ever seen (if taking into account the situation) this series would already be over.  All games have been close, but the Magic have proven to be the better team so far.

I completely agree.  But the "so far" is what bugs me.  By saying that, you acknowledge that this could change -- and I agree with that too.  I've seen Cleveland play a lot this year, and they've definitely played better basketball than they have played in this series so far.  If they manage to turn things around and play better -- and somehow manage to win the series -- everyone will just say that the NBA wanted them in the finals.

[wadesworld]

I completely agree.  But the "so far" is what bugs me.  By saying that, you acknowledge that this could change -- and I agree with that too.  I've seen Cleveland play a lot this year, and they've definitely played better basketball than they have played in this series so far.  If they manage to turn things around and play better -- and somehow manage to win the series -- everyone will just say that the NBA wanted them in the finals.

Fair enough.  I guess we'll see what happens and know at that point.  If the Cavs win the next 3 in blowouts then that won't be the case, but if the Cavs win the next 3 in close games then you're probably right, fair or not.  If the Magic win 1 of the next 3 then it doesn't really matter.

[reinko]

I hate when David Stern rigs the game so LBJ fill up his stat sheet with a 37, 14, and 12 and straight dominates the last 4 minutes of the game.  Orlando must have laid down, because you know, these games are rigged. 

[muwarrior87]

I'm calling it, rigged or not....the next game Lebron scores 40+ in, the Cavs will lose. This series they've only won when he has scored in the 30's, meaning his teammates are actually carrying part of the load.

[ecompt]

LeBron will shoot 40 free throws the final two games and Cleveland wins.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yeah, and did you watch the end of that game?  I know there was contact when Lebron fell, but other than Lebron, Kobe, and Dwyane, who gets that call with .5 seconds in the game?  And then Dwight Howard, another All-Star, Team USA player, gets fouled much, MUCH worse than Lebron was on the following inbound pass and nothing is called.

Not to mention the technical fouls.  Lebron can scream and throw his arms around as much as he wants (both in celebration and in complaining at refs), but if Dwight Howard so much as yells after a monster dunk it's a technical foul.

I could throw out any number of videos of bologna fouls in just this series for Lebron (for example...the 3 pointer that Dwight Howard blocked of his within a minute left of game 3, his 6th foul in game 2 I believe, could have been 1, where he was clearly straight up and jumping AWAY from Lebron to avoid contact, etc.)  It's like Wade and the 2006 playoffs all over again.  I loved it then because it was Wade, but at the same time the NBA has their players that they want/need to win and they'll do everything and anything they can to get those teams to win.  The Cavs just couldn't even pull it off with 8 players on the court at a time.

But Orlando won, right?