For all the talk about what calls we dont get....lets discuss some of the calls we do get. - Is it just me, or does Yao seem to prematurely move on every pick he sets? He was called earlier in the year a couple of times, but lately the only fouls on the offensive end are loose ball and pushing fouls. I think its pretty clear to the refs that yao is in motion as the pick is being set and rolls very quickly. - I also think the refs give us the benefit of the doubt on the defensive end when calling charges/blocking fouls. Last night we must have drew about 3 charges in the closing minutes of that game alone. when shown the replays, it seemed it could have very well gone either way. I also felt the refs were very partial to us when we trapped on the baseline and forced gasol to make 2 costly turnovers, 1 sure looked like a push from behind. I think our suffocating inside defense is really putting an impression on the refs and they are starting to allow us to play the way we want to play. do any of yall notice some things that our guys seem to get away with?
I think we have had alot of calls against us in the past but the refs have been giving us more respect lately. I think the Refs still call way too many fouls and should just let the players play their game I dont understand why the refs have to call anything at all. If anything it should be no calls. I wish we could revise the rule book and start taking out stupid rules and let the players win the games instead of the refs. We will see how this will work out later in the season but it does seem like we get more favorable calls lately. I dont really like it but if calls are gonna be called anyways at least they are in our favor. J
Those charging fouls were simply good defensive plays. The defender moved his feet, planted them, took a shoulder to the chest, and fell. That is textbook defense. If Gasol is going to whine about that being a charge (which of course he did), then he should stop lowering his shoulder in an effort to plow through the defender. If you want to see a bogus charging call, just look at the play where jackson was driving on miller. Miller did not have position, but simply tripped and fell. The refs gave him the call though. I think some of the calls that went in our favor after that were makeup calls for that horrible, horrible mistake. For instance, Francis drove and kind of pulled up for a little shot. There was slight contact with the defender who was trying to draw the charge, but i dont think it was enough to call the offensive foul. After the refs saw that Steve missed the shot, then they called a blocking foul, when it obviously should have been a no-call. Also, just because the refs are letting our defense get away with contact does not mean that the other teams are not getting away with it. Usually, the refs just let the game be played more physically both ways. Yao always gets two hands in the small of his back whenever he rolls across the lane, etc. Van Gundy has the reputation that his teams are physical and tough, so the refs kind of let us play that style.
Refs really screwed up on a few calls earlier in the 4th quarter, so they decided to give the Rockets some calls like the blocking foul on Lorezen Wright when Steve charged into him. Also, Mo got 2 charging fouls called in his favor. Yao got 1 too. Refs want a close game for these TNT games, but there is usually a home bias. Home teams almost always get the calls when in doubt since the NBA wants to have the fans in attendance to go home happy. As much as Rockets fans were upset at watching a TNT telecast, Grizzlies fans who paid money to attend the game would be pretty upset if they had lost.
Refs are simply not consistent. A charge on one end of the court could easily be a blocking foul on the other. Travelling for one player is a perfectly acceptable move for another. I read somewhere that the league hires other refs to evaluate each game, and they find that refs typically get between 88-92% of calls correct But as far as last night's game is concerned, somehow in a close game, the refs favor the 'aggressive' team. That's just the way it is. But don't tell me the refs got even 80% of the calls right!
Is there a petition we sign to have some stupid rules taken out. I enjoyed the game much more when the game was alot more physical and people looked like they were at war trying to win the games. If people are playing physical let them play that way.. just dont be one sided about it. J
