ClutchCity.net Game Thread: Clippers @ Rockets 3/12/2003

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=230312010

HOUSTON (AP) -- Andre Miller's tendency to cross the foul line before his free throws hit the rim cost him dearly Wednesday night.

Miller was called for a lane violation after hitting a go-ahead free throw with one second left in regulation. The free throw was nullified, Miller missed the second attempt and the Los Angeles Clippers went on to lose 118-114 in overtime to the Houston Rockets.

"It wasn't a violation, it's always Andre," said Clippers center Sean Rooks. "I guess he just has a habit of falling across the line. They've called it on him at least seven times."

"It's obviously a habit of his they're paying attention to," Rooks added. "They (referees) line themselves up at the foul line and look for it."
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As a guard, Miller's FT shooting form is just bad. Sooner or later, it would catch him at a very bad time. Last night's game is for him to remember for the rest of the season.

Now if somebody says that the call should not be called at a critical time, huh? huh? excuse me, then what's the purpose of referees' calling it then? for fun ? Apparently, as a player, Miller just won't pay attention to these calls after being called at least 7 times in a season, now let's hope Miller won't make the same mistake again!

 

From what I've read, it was to stop Wilt from dunking from the free throw line. And yes he could without taking a running start. Scary huh.

 

Again, that Yang Yi guy had an "exclusive interview" with
Yao after the game:

<a href="http://sports.tom.com/Archive/1019/1042/2003/3/13-57729.html"> http://sports.tom.com/Archive/1019/1042/2003/3/13-57729.html </a>

In the interview, Yao didn't think the refs helped Rockets
winning the game.

 

What about our teams lack of intensity last night?

Where was the "We aren't taking anyone lightly anymore" fire?

The Rockets are a team of panzies.

They are softer then a babies A$$ !!!

I was getting sick watching all the wide open shots that the Clipps and Rocks were getting.

Playoff team......BS !!

DD

 

Of course refs did not help if Andre Miller had been called for that fault for 7 times this season. Apparently, Miller is dumber than James Posey. 7 times!!

 

The Refs made the correct call on both cases:
1) The ref can ignor incidental contact or touch foul but Posey clearly hacked Miller across the arms.
2) Miller clearly leaned over and broke the FT's plane.

Beyond that, I think the Rockets played a good game on the offensive end. The guards (Francis, Mobley) looked for and created shots for Yao, Cato, Taylor and Rice before their own. I hope they understand now that they can do that and still have good personal stats of their own.

On the same token, we played terrible defense. We could not guard anyone on their team the whole night except for a few stops late.

 

I bet we see Miller taking free throws from 2 feet behind the line starting with his next game.

It was a legit call -- he leaned through the plane. But you don't call it in a situation like that.

I don't buy all the complainers' complaints about lack of fire and poor D. There were some lapses, but I give a lot more credit to the Clipps great shooting last night than any failing on the defense. Cherokee Parks at the top of the circle is the kind of shot you encourage the opposing team to take. He was just on last night.

 

Juan,

Great shooting by the Clipps, gosh, why does every team seem to shoot so well against us?

Could it be the lack of a hand in the face of the shooter?

There are exceptions, like New Jersey, but I just expected this team to come out with fire shooting from their nostrils and to take the game by the throat.

If it weren't for a lucky call, they would have chocked to another inferior opponent.

DD

 

The Rockets actually Rank fairly high in oppenent fg%.

 

Apparently last nights official thought it was about leaning over the line. Show me just one official item in the rules to prove that official.

 

cry me a river. boo hoo.

The Clipps did not deserve to win. There was no reason for the Clipps to even be in a position to have to make free throws with 1.1 seconds left. If they had taken care of their 5 point lead with 39 secondds left to play the game would have never come down to free throws at the end of the game. Instead the Clipps let Rice and Francis go free for two 3 pointers and it came back to bite them.

 

My take on a few issues:

Regarding the question if Steve was lobbying the refs about Dre being over the line. Yes, once during the 2nd half, Francis walked to the free throw line with his palms outstretched, complaining that on the first attempt, Miller was over the line. The play by play guys then commented on Steve doing that.

The call on Miller "leaning" was a horrible call. It was replayed many times. He broke the plane with his upper body no worse than about a million other free throws that I have seen in the NBA. I don't know if the ref thought he was going for a make-up call or not.

I hope Posey feels like a stupid fool. Refs typically swallow the whistle at the end of the game, but it was a YMCA grab of the worst kind that resulted in Miller loosing the ball. Why the hell should something like that be legal? They might as well say that it is okay to tackle the guy with the ball, as long as there is less than 15 seconds left in the period. I hate the way refs have made up all these special little rules that aren't in the book.

Cat's defense was not terrible. Magette was unconscious. Everything he threw up was going in.

Parks got most of his points from about 18 ft out. Is that where some of you guys want Yao playing on defense? That's why he was so open. Do you want Yao clogging the lane getting 5 blocks, or out chasing someone like Cherokee Parks 18 ft. away from the basket.

The Rockets were very lucky to get into overtime, but played clutch, once they got there. This game could go a long way towards making the team feel like they can make the playoffs. They have got to be feeling soooo much better about themselves than if they had lost by 1 point.

 

Also, Miller missed another important ft before Francis hit the 3 to tie it. If Miller had made that one, the whole story would have been very different. Hey, maybe Miller knew the Rockets fans want him, so he tried to help the Rockets before he even gets here.

 

if he aint a rocket i dont care about him.... besides there where some idiots on wang n#ts so i had to say something negative

and as for the lane violation call, the call was because miller was leaning about a foot and a half over the line and that in it self is a violation.... good call by the refs. i think they call it the "shaq rule" nba sometimes make rule changes like this to take an advantage away from people leaning so far that if they dont take a step they fall on there face. i can remember back in the day when they said you couldnt jump from the line and dunk the free throws... remember that rule change, the "wilt rule"

 

it doesnt mention stepping either

its a loose rule that does need to be tightened up... but it is up to the ref to interpret the rule... i say it was a good call... ha ha

 

I saw that Eddie Griffin got a technical foul. Hard to imagine. What did he get the technical foul for?

 

Did you ever take geometry?? The rule is NOT about "stepping over the line." It's about crossing the plane. A line is very different from a plane. In other words, imagine a big indivisible wall coming up from the free throw line. Andre Miller CLEARLY crossed that wall. His chest, his waist...all THROUGH the PLANE. It was the right call. Just because it wasn't a favorable call for the Clippers and it was late in the game, that doesn't mean the refs shouldn't call it.

And technically, I don't give a flying ****. My team is in the playoff hunt.

 

It was an awful double-t call. parks got a sweet pass from lamar and jammed it home, but rode Eddie for like 5 seconds. then parks got all up in his face and eddie brushed him off. Seriously. just like that. parks rides him and talks trash and they're both t'd up. that call made me very mad.

 

Well then these guys have already crossed "the plane" before they have even shot the free throw. And they'll be even farther across "the plane" (arms definitely, maybe even shoulders and head) on their follow through BEFORE THE BALL REACHES THE RIM. These guys (and gal) must be idiots. They should just hang up their kicks and quit.

<img src=http://www.mcicenter.com/wizards/images/mini1_7.jpg>
<img src=http://www.goshen.edu/athletics/photos/mbb2-10-5.jpg>
<img src=http://www.starzzfan.com/images/DenaFT.jpg>
<img src=http://www.ocmetro.com/metro103102/images/HOT25%20Amberry.gif>

Did you ever PASS geometry?

It was a "terrible call". Just ask Clutch.

And right now, I am not happy we won. I'm happy when we EARN wins. As far as I can remember, this is the first Rockets win that they did not earn. We earned a loss. But the refs felt it necessary to give a free welfare-check handout to the poor team in need who couldn't succeed on their own. What kinda crap is that?

Ask me 5 weeks from now, and if we're in the playoffs, and have EARNED some quality wins to get there, then this game will be long forgotten.

 

Miller's case was much different. His whole body, other then his feet, where in front of the line.