If you want some really nonsensical numbers... Game 1: Rockets commit 27 fouls, give up 42 FTAs. Mavs commit 20 fouls, give up 20 FTAs. 7 more Rocket PFs --> 22 more Mav FTAs. Game 2: Rockets commit 24 fouls, give up 26 FTAs. Mavs commit 22 fouls, give up 27 FTAs. 2 fewer Mav PFs --> 1 more Rocket FTA. Game 3: Rockets commit 27 fouls, give up 37 FTAs. Mavs commit 28 fouls, give up 25 FTAs. 1fewer Rocket PF --> 12 more Mav FTAs. I have no idea how that works out. Commit fewer fouls and have THAT disparaging FT difference. There were more than a couple Sura, Wesley, TMac, Barry drives which seemed to have a lot of contact and no call.
NikeStrad, Fouls in the act of shooting always get FTs while you get 4 fouls on the floor each quarter before sending the other team to the charity stripe. The way it looks, is like we foul them while they are shooting and they foul us while we are dribbling. DD
Yes, after 2 whole years on the job JVG should have come up with an effective gameplan by now that will fully expose our 5 on 8 advantage out there on the floor Actually we did suck it up and win Game 1 and we have won many games during the regular season with Yao sitting most of the game on the bench or playing tentatively on the floor due to endless bad calls made on him during the game. But in the playoffs, when both teams are already competing at a very high level to begin with, it is understandably a little difficult to just suck it up, play harder, and overcome the zebras. If Yao is not allowed to go after shots and block them, not permitted to establish post position without getting continuously dislodged or being called for an offensive foul when the defender flops, and if he is going to be called for a foul when the offensive player runs right into him under the basket with nowhere to go, then he might as well pack up his bags, go back to Shanghai and play ball with his buddies at the neighborhood gym. At least that way he would still maintain some self-dignity and still be able to respect the game he loves. As it is right now, he is a part of a circus charade that makes no sense no rhyme and no reason as far as sports are concerned. There are no set and defined rules as to how these games are conducted. His participation in these games is tantamount to showing up at a Vegas casino table where the House gets to make up the rules and parameters as they go along. Actually one poster in another thread made a very interesting suggestion that Yao not even walk down the floor on D and just sit on the other end cherrypicking all day. Of course then the refs would just find a way to foul him out on offensive fouls anyways.
DD- Believe me, I get that. I also don't think it's a huge leap of logic if a team is fouling with regularity away from the ball and not in the act of shooting, they're probably also committing fouls in the act of shooting with similar regularity. For reference, the league leaders in FTA differential were Washington at +5.4. Only 3 teams total are at +4.0 or above (all EC teams, curiously). The Rockets on the year were -1.6. The Mavs were +2.3. I'm just saying the Mavs are at +11 FTA/gm for the series, doubling the league's leaders and nearly quintupling their season numbers. In a series where the Mavs have been fouled 8 more times, they've gotten 33 more FTAs out of it. That comes out to, averaging >4 FTAs per foul. Not normal.
Yao needs to go on the offensive in the press like that bully Shaq did. Shaq would straight up run fools over all night then get on the press about how they were letting him get mugged on his attempts. Yao is not officiated properly and he has come a long way since he came into the league and was very foul prone. He has modified his play but the refs continue to manufacture fouls on him. I do not know why they are doing this but it needs to be challenged by Yao in the media; maybe just questioning the calls would shed some light on the situation. Whatever the case game 3 was horribly officiated and I am not whining because I have faith the Rox can and will overcome this but the fact remains the refs should be calling it the same on both sides of the court otherwise it appears they have an agenda.
I personally am not blaming the officials for this loss. But I guarantee you, if this trend continues, you'll see the Rockets out in the first round. The difference of free throws between the two teams is just too big to go un-noticed.
Throughout the series, Dallas has played a smaller quicker lineup than the Rockets. Younger, quicker teams will generally be able to draw more fouls than older and less athletic teams like the Rockets.
Nobody on Dallas is quicker or more athletic than Tracy McGrady. However, he can't seem to draw a whistle for the life of him. But in any case, one can also say that bigger, stronger post players with post skills like Yao will generally be able to draw more fouls against smaller, weaker players with no post-defense skills like Nitwitzki and KVH. But wait, this isn't happening! But wait, maybe Yao would in fact get the benefit of more calls if he played on the Washington Generals instead!
Well Yao and even T-Mac to a degree don’t get the true superstar calls that Dirk has been getting this series. It’s completely ridiculous that the Mavs are getting this many calls. The refs are giving calls to the Mavs like they are the freaking Lakers and calls to Dirk like he is the next Jordan. The 5th foul on Yao was completely insane (the one where he and Dirk were tangled up). I had hoped the Rockets would start to get more calls at home but as of right now they have not. I pray that changes in game 4.
OT: I read an interview with Jess Kersey a long time ago in which he was asked about his most startling moment on the court. He answered that it was during a game at Boston Garden in the 80s when a drunken/crazed Boston fan leapt out of the stands, fully extended his body over the scorer's table, and grabbed Kersey by the shirt, screaming "You'll rot in Hell for that call, Jess Kersey!!!!" God I would have loved to see that.
Jesus! I want to verify those numbers (where'd you get them exactly?). But if that analysis holds up, there is very possibly something rotten in Sternmark. OT: But then again, staggering numbers like these were overlooked in the US election last November. There was a 6.2% variance in favor of the incumbent between exit polls and the official tally. The difference was glossed over and dismissed. By way of comparison, the internationally-condemned-as-corrupt December election in the Ukraine that sparked the Orange Uprising and new, heavily monitored elections had a (surprise) 6.2% variance in favor of the incumbent between exit polls and the official tally. The people demanded a new election, and the cheating b*stard incumbent was ousted. But that don't mean nothin', right?
I took the FTA and PF data from the game box scores. The season FTA differential data was neatly compiled by ESPN here. It should be noted Phoenix and Seattle have even larger FTA differentials (though through only 2 games). . Recall, Dallas has 33 more free throws on 8 more Houston fouls. Phoenix has 24 more free throws on 11 more Memphis fouls Phoenix got 17 PFs in both games 1 and 2, which means on average they're in the penalty for Memphis FTs just 1 quarter per game (4 foulsx4 quarters=16 PFs). For Seattle, they have 28 more FTAs while Sacramento has just THREE more PFs (through 2 games). That's even more outrageous than the Houston statistic. I'll look at this later once the game 3s go down. Edit: It should also be noted Phoenix and Seattle are actually winning basketball games.
I really really really think it is time for Les Alexander to make a phone call and stick up for his team. I also wouldn't mind seeing him put Cuban in his place for working the media and the refs all of the time. Come on Les!
