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I was watching and got pulled into a project with my wife...she doesn't respect my basketball time.SC vs. Iowa for the title.
ESPN's title is 'Controversial late Offensive Foul Call', but it wasn't the least bit controversial. While it wasn't egregious, you can't set a screen late, and then lean your shoulder and stick your elbow out to impede the defender.I was watching and got pulled into a project with my wife...she doesn't respect my basketball time.
I will say that SC looked pretty frightening today. I have a special dislike for SC (the battle about who is the "real" Carolina...of course there is only one, and it's color is Carolina Blue)...SC is a school built on d!ck jokes, and little else.
I am a UNC fan...who actually dislikes Michael Jordan, partially for this reason: It was his first season back after he tried to play pro baseball, and the Bulls were playing the Hornets in the playoffs. It was the end of the game, and the Hornets got the ball under the basket, and took a shot, that Jordan blatantly hacked. No call. All across the arms of the shooter (I forget who it was). After the game, he was asked about the hack, and Jordan said that he fouled because he knew the refs wouldn't call it at that ponit in the game. So, non-calls can also decide a game, which is a worse situation in my opinion. I will say that (and I didn't see the game), that if the calls have been loose during the game, and the refs have been letting the teams play, I get miffed when they call something that was a touch foul, in the final minute. That sh!t happens all too frequently.ESPN's title is 'Controversial late Offensive Foul Call', but it wasn't the least bit controversial. While it wasn't egregious, you can't set a screen late, and then lean your shoulder and stick your elbow out to impede the defender.
I've seen a few 'let them play' comments from people who should know better, and who would expect that foul called if that screen was set on them.
Moving screens should always be called IMO. The one last night was also very obvious: shoulder lean, 'chicken wing' elbow, knee out. Many of the talking heads are making it seem like without the call UCon would have made the basket and won. Is Buckers a 100% shooter?! No, she shot 37% from three so it is more likely that she would have missed the shot than made the shot (with a defend in her face).I am a UNC fan...who actually dislikes Michael Jordan, partially for this reason: It was his first season back after he tried to play pro baseball, and the Bulls were playing the Hornets in the playoffs. It was the end of the game, and the Hornets got the ball under the basket, and took a shot, that Jordan blatantly hacked. No call. All across the arms of the shooter (I forget who it was). After the game, he was asked about the hack, and Jordan said that he fouled because he knew the refs wouldn't call it at that ponit in the game. So, non-calls can also decide a game, which is a worse situation in my opinion. I will say that (and I didn't see the game), that if the calls have been loose during the game, and the refs have been letting the teams play, I get miffed when they call something that was a touch foul, in the final minute. That sh!t happens all too frequently.
I called the screen before the ref, it was very obvious. UC fans don't like it to end that way; no one else does either.Moving screens should always be called IMO. The one last night was also very obvious: shoulder lean, 'chicken wing' elbow, knee out. Many of the talking heads are making it seem like without the call UCon would have made the basket and won. Is Buckers a 100% shooter?! No, she shot 37% from three so it is more likely that she would have missed the shot than made the shot (with a defend in her face).
I don't care if it ends that way really. Sure, last seconds shots give us a jolt of adrenalin, but a foul call and a missed shot are the same, IMO. The only reason I wish that they would have let it go is because she likely would have missed the shot (maybe even had it blocked), and then the talking heads would have to create something else to fill broadcast time/social media space.I called the screen before the ref, it was very obvious. UC fans don't like it to end that way; no one else does either.
Oh the talking heads would create something out of whole cloth to get fans involved. That's their job but in a too-serious social mediascape eventually the responses go to the insane level. No one cheated so why compromise. Also; why would hate responses go to a player in a game where the same foul got called on both teams. She's a college kid that doesn't deserve the vitriol.I don't care if it ends that way really. Sure, last seconds shots give us a jolt of adrenalin, but a foul call and a missed shot are the same, IMO. The only reason I wish that they would have let it go is because she likely would have missed the shot (maybe even had it blocked), and then the talking heads would have to create something else to fill broadcast time/social media space.
That and they couldn't finish a layup for most of the 2nd half and had almost no offensive rebounds in the 3rd qtr. Hard to win that way. Every good pass meant to draw heat off Clark was rejected by NCs serious defense. I didn't see the first half but her typical top of the key 3 was defensed well enough she had to shoot about 1-2' deeper on the arc in the second half than against UConn. They got beat by a tougher defense and it shouldn't have been that close.Entertaining game.
Keys to SC's win:
GLASS
Bench
Turning point IMO: two point game, Iowa had a fast break, missed the layup that would have tied it up, SC hit a three off of the rebound. Five point turn around, followed by a 9-2 run. Iowa did make a run and get it back down, but that took all that they had left.
I hope that the fans who came for Clark hang around for a few years!
Celtics have no excuses. They simply have to get it done but agree that Denver are probably the more stable team in the playoffs. OKC getting closer, maybe in the next few seasons. Playoffs will test aging teams like the Lakers and Warriors especially in long series. The Suns are not the team they were, the Knicks have improved and the most interesting one might be how the Timberwolves go.Well, this will be one of the most intriguing playoffs in the nba in a while. A lot of good matchups early, including the play in to see who makes it in as 7th and 8th seeds.
Celtics will play either the Heat or Sixers. It wouldn’t be the greatest shock in the world to see them lose in the first round. The Heat took them out in the ECF last season, and playing a team like that earlier rather than later could be a real problem.
The Thunder are the #1 seed out west but they could end up playing the Lakers or Warriors. There could certainly be some fireworks in that series.
For me, the Nuggets are the favorites. They are the defending champs, Jokić is likely to win his 3rd mvp (should be 4th, as last year he was robbed) and if they are healthy, I have a hard time seeing anyone beating them in a 7 game series.
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