Jones knew what he was doing. All pro ballplayers have played enough basketball at high enough levels to know that walking up under a jumpshooter is dirty and dangerous. Some guys will use it as a tool, not to injure the player, but to get the shooter worried about how his feet are gonna come down and distract him from the actual shot. It works... but it also can hurt people, like it did last night. It's kind've like poking a jumpshooter in the chest/stomach on his way up, only this is more effective and more dangerous.
It seems like a dirty play... but there's no rule against it as far as I know and that's how the ref saw it, too maybe an unwritten rule... which makes it dirty but as noted, if you dish it out, you shouldn't complain about it
Not going to read 9 pages, but this doesn't look intentional at all. Guys 'contend' shots like that all the time...he was just trying to get a hand up in his face and crowd him. If Kobe wouldn't try so hard to kick out his legs to get a foul he might've landed with his feet in a better position. I can't believe people think Jones did this deliberately. Watch how guys defend others in the league...they do the same thing, only difference is the offensive player isn't usually landing with his feet awkardly b/c he's trying to cheat the refs out of 2 points.
So the league admits they missed a foul call. http://www.nba.com/official/?ls=iref:nbahpts Pretty funny in my opinion, because this probably means Lakers will get favorable treatment for a long while.
Why does the league only admit things like this for end of game situations? They miss fouls all games long. In this particular game, there was a much worse missed foul where Howard absolutely hammered one of the Hawks players on a drive but it wasn't called because it would have been his 5th foul early in the 4th. Then the Hawks coach got a 'T' so that's 3 points the Hawks didn't get (also the Lakers hit a 3 on the other end while the Hawk player was laying on the ground in pain).
The funny part about this all is that the referee was standing RIGHT THERE where it happened.. No foul, he just had an awkward landing, and his constant complaining is the reason they issued the statement so they could shut him up about it.
I blame Kobe for that won period. Kobe intentionally kicks out his right leg to try and draw a foul. A good no call by the ref. Attention Kobe!!! Stop kicking out your leg to try and draw a foul. I have zero sympathy after watching.
So the NBA admits they missed a foul on Dahntay Jones, but they don't admit they missed an offensive foul on Kobe Bryant?
If you look closely Jones stomps his right foot out at the last moment under Kobe... http://youtu.be/ZGgZADEeT4o?t=46s Linked direct to the best view.
I'm kinda pissed they did this. Why does THIS play warrant that kind of statement from the NBA when on any number of plays EVERY DAY the NBA could issue the same statement. Just more blatant favoritism. Its so ingrained in the NBA now that nobody even calls them out on it. If anybody ever tried to argue the NBA isn't ruled by superstars or super teams, they need to be directed to this thread.
Thanks for pointing it. No kicking, just a normal fade away. They only do it when it's something that could decide a game and they have done it quite often this year, just google it and you will notice this is nothing special.
Bottom line, Dahntay Jones is correct. The leg kick caused the contact. Dahntay didnt go up with a full leap to contest because he is a smart defender and doesnt want to give Kobe a chance to take the lead with a possible and-1. That was the most non-existent, intentional dirty play that never happened that I have ever seen. If Kobe wants to cry so-be-it. He needs look no further than MWP for someone who actually intentionally tries to cheap-shot fellow players. This is BS. Kobe missed, didnt get the call, and needed someone else to blame for his failure. I have no remorse for him. He has always whined when he didnt get things his way, like all the All-Time Great Lakers. Magic taught him well.
Completely unintentional. It's the last shot of the game. You'd be up in Kobe's grill as well. I applaud hard nosed defense. I've seen far dirtier plays than this before
