This points in the paint argument is stupid since anyone who watches basketball knows the less freethrows you take the more paint points you will get since you're not getting fouled. Facts are facts, Bulls outplayed and outworked Rockets down the stretch. Harden went 0-9 in the 2nd half with Butler guarding him.
Can't believe this argument is happening. The Rockets shot 5 free throws last night. The previous low for a Bulls opponent was 10 and their opponents average 21.4 FTA per game against them. Last night was an amazing "just don't foul" outcome. It isn't even the number of fouls that were or weren't called, it was that even the fouls that WERE called against the Bulls were of the non shooting variety. Their previous season low of 10, which was 50% lower than their season average, was beaten last night by 50% again. This would be like the Rockets averaging 95 points per game, having one where they scored 140 being their outlier and then when they scored 210 points you just shrugging it off as a team that "knows how to score."
It's been stated multiple times here but I can't agree more with this. Rockets lost because they stopped going to the paint and started shooting threes. Then to pile on, the officials weren't calling anything against the Bulls. Both reasons aren't exclusive to each other.
Honestly, if I were a player getting paid millions of dollars I would not care about the NBA. I would only play well in contract years and phone it in every night. I do not know how or why Howard even tries anymore. He is paid over $20 million and getting abused. I would not care and just let guys win on nights where I was not getting any calls. The fact that the Rockets players still go out there every night and compete is a huge credit to the coaching staff. And honestly, I think this is what happened to Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. McGrady started faking all of these injuries (my back hurts) after getting jobbed by the refs again in the playoffs. He was jobbed against the Pistons and then started phoning it in in Orlando (only won 20 games in a season). He came to Houston and the same thing happened, so he stopped caring about basketball and competing and I don't blame him. Everyone bet on him because he was just too damn good and unstoppable. He even covered some spreads he wasn't supposed to. But the house always wins. These guys risk their bodies and getting hurt and the other team does not care if they hurt them because they are not gonna get the call. This is why Yao retired early. He could not take it anymore. Too much abuse over his career and it caused him to quit much earlier than he should have. He decided to sit out his last year and collect his check then go back to China with his businesses, and his millions. I would not say anything either, because I'd have the life and the money. Also, I would not want to make any enemies. Notice how he did not respond to this post. Based on what he said previously he can't respond to this because he would sound like a hypocrite. The guy is so vocal because he wants rep.
Also, the FT disparity does not come as a shock to me. Don't you guys remember game 1 against Portland? The Blazers shot 17 FTs in the first half and the Rockets shot zero. They hacked Dwight and he missed a big one (9-17 on the night), but that doesn't matter because we still had a chance to win in OT at the end (for all of you hypocrites out their who only care about being up by 5 with over 3 minutes left in a game where 2 baskets erase that lead) but the last two calls of the game were so bad and one was apologized for by the NBA. Remember the tech on Howard? Still waiting for an explanation on that. Once Pau got that foul call on Josh Smith on that turn around fader when Josh just stood there, didn't touch him and let him make it ....after that Pau knew he could just fall down and get a call. I am surprised he didn't do the head bop thing like Splitter when he fell down after he missed that jumper in the fourth. Still, the most crucial call was the one with two minutes left on the Butler flop. He just fell down after Harden faked him left. He was in a bad position and the refs bailed him out. The game was tied with a fresh shot clock with 2 minutes left. Why make that call if it was a physical game where they were letting them play? He fell down.
Alot of time .. . .Stellar defense is basically if they call a infraction or not Defense can be aided or hampered by the refs Just because they don't call it. . . does not mean it didn't happen Rocket River
The game is mental and physical As you pointed out .. . once Pau knows he will get every foul . . .we FLOP AWAY once you know you can get hack with no calls. . . .maybe you go up stronger than you have too .. . maybe you pass more than usual . . . Bad calls in the first half can still affect you in the second . . . not to mention the frustration and anger of being cheated against this is why i never buy the . . well they lost by _____ . . .so that play didn't matter - type arguments Refs can literally TAKE YOU OUT OF YOUR GAME Rocket River
Cheating is cheating saying it is always that way doesn't change it If your foul . . .you should be called for it one should not say . .. well .. . they just more aggressive Seattle played illegal defense for 90% of the games in Hakeem's career they beat the Rockets based on the fact that the Refs would not call it everytime down the court and they did do it . .. EVERY DAMN TIME Same here. . . .Hack away . . .and call it aggression Rocket River
Nobody is disputing that the Bulls play sound defense and that a free throw disparity can be perfectly normal. What we are disputing is that the one that happened LAST night is not feasible.
I'm usually of the type that acknowledges that terrible calls can throw a game, but that it's up to the team to treat every possession as sacred, so that you've got that cushion already built up to proactively deal with the bad calls. However, your title really needs no more explanation. It's impossible to score that many points in the paint and have so few free throw attempts, while the other team has so many. If the game was just being called like a playoff game for both teams, there'd be few fouls on either end. Of course, as long as it's impossible to officially review fouls or penalties in professional sports, there's nothing that can be done. Even if it was just egregiously bad on-the-floor officiating, the replay center has no recourse if they notice a total bull**** foul call, assuming they even cared. NFL or NBA, I'd give coaches the chance to challenge a limited number of fouls and penalties, so that the game isn't entirely at the mercy of the refs. Short of that, though, we really do just have to treat every possession as sacred. If they could just focus intently on maintaining a high defensive level and doing whatever it takes to not turn the ball over, then they'd win games, even in offensive slumps. The Rockets are almost never going to get a call in their favor, and the NBA isn't going to do anything about game-changing shenanigans. If I was McHale, I'd tell my team to play like they are 20 points down at all times, because last night that that's close to what the refs handicapped us with.
I watched the Rox/Bulls game again late last night. The officiating was definitely lopsided...at the same time, MAYBE Mchale will have a brilliant flicker of light between the ears and Bench Ariza for Harden. This should stop the bleeding from loosing games by just 5-10 points like they've been doing all year except once or twice.
Top 3 worst officiated games this season: 1) Bulls 2) Hawks 3) Lakers The Hawks and Lakers games were at home too, so there goes any argument about home cooking for the Bulls. Bad calls all game with the worst happening in the final 2 minutes of the 4th. Exactly. I would be the T-Mac of the NBA and phone it in when the going gets tough and I am not getting any calls. Why drive and risk getting injured when you know you will get fouled and the refs aren't calling it? I would much rather settle for the first slightly open jumper and collect my paycheck.
Yes. So what are we to do about it? The way the game is called is either going to change or, you have to adapt. It's not going to change. You need to adapt. I'm not talking about this particular game, but longer term. Same with the playoff. Different game. Why is it that Harden has been pretty dismal in all the HOU playoff? I think HOU took a step forward with a very good defensive team. That will be in HOU favor comes playoff time. Offense is another story - it's still a one man show. HOU go from good to great when Harden isn't the #1, #2, and #3 option.
There are self hating rockets fans on these boards and its evident. Did the rockets not seal the deal on this one? Maybe. But had the game been called down the middle it wouldn't have been close. What's worse is the refs also rewarded a lot of flop calls. That's not basketball, that's garbage.
Question is are the referees ever held accountable For anything that they do! There has been cheating in the past in NBA and now there's cheating again....because of all the money bet on these games criminal actions Should be taken against these referees!!!
The Bulls don't foul much as a team #4 lowest @ 18.8 per game before last night. They had 13 PFs last night or 6 fewer than average. The Rockets foul a lot as a team #25 @ 23 per game. They had 27 PFs last night or 4 more than average. Rockets shot and made more 2P shots(lots of easy buckets by DMO, Howard, Bev and even Smith) than they normally do in a game. Before last night the Rockets averaged (23.9/48.7) 2P/2PA. Both ranked #30. Last night they were (39/77) 2P/2PA. (+15/+28) 2P/2PA over season averages. You'd think Oliver Stone was a member of CF with all stuff being posted during the recent stretch of games. The simple fact is we've been playing tougher teams that score more than the teams we played during the first 24 games(19-5) versus (4-6) in the last 10.
