If they call a foul on that they need to call a foul on the multiple moving screens used by Denver in their last couple possessions But, they're not going to call a moving screen with under a minute remaining. Nor are they going to call a foul on someone standing upright against a desperation heave.
If they called a foul on that, then they're calling a foul on atrocious offense. Great defense by the Thunder at the end. They completely cut off the perimeter.
Are you sure we're talking about the same type of foul? If the defender is closing out and makes hand contact, then yeah, that one gets called. However, what I'm talking about a desperation situation where the offensive player has lost his dribble and all he can do is pump fake and shoot, and the defender has both hands straight up and is bodying up, but not jumping at all. I'd like to see some youtube of that because the only one that sticks out to me is Ryan Bowen phantom fouling Dirk.
I don't think it even matters if the foul WAS called. Smith was 3-5 at the freethrow line. Under so much pressure, I doubt Smith could sink 3 in a row.
watching superstars struggle with very poor shooting games make me reminisce our our tmac-yao struggles and they would get destroyed in the playoffs. sighs
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Ibaka killed the Nuggets. Outside of Game 1, the Nuggets have done a terrible job of keeping guys outside of Durant and Westbrook from hurting them (Harden went off on Game 2 and now Ibaka in Game 3). In watching that last play in real-time, it looked too close to make a call against Harden. Even after watching the replay, I still can't tell. He might have gotten JR on the hand but I don't think he got him on the arm. Now, if that had been Melo taking that shot, then the ref would have probably blown the whistle. But it was JR Smith who is far from being a superstar in this league....just sayin'.
I would be SHOCKED if anything is done, simply because it was a play at the end of the game that could have tied it and there was some doubt if the right call was made. Smith might get fined by the league but it will be kept quiet. If anything, knowing how the Nuggets' luck has been for this series, the league will probably come out right before Game 4, announcing that Smith was fouled on that last shot attempt.
Smith was not fouled. He was out of control, lost his dribble, and then he tried to flop his way to a foul.
