Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
The Suns get the win over the Blazers in questionable fashion.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Camporeale/USA Today.)
Man, oh, man.
The Portland TrailBlazers had a chance to clinch a postseason berth but everything fell apart after one questionable call. Norman Powell was called for a foul on Devin Booker with two ticks left. Booker’s two free throws gave the Phoenix Suns a one-point lead and win. Of course, a ton of fans (especially Portland fans) are calling foul on the foul. Quite frankly, I don’t blame them. Officials being inconsistent with the calls have been bothering casual and hardcore fans forever. But I’ll still maintain that these are the best basketball officials by a mile and I challenge anyone to try to ref a basketball game. These athletes are strong and fast and it’s hard to miss anything if you blink or not pay attention for even a millisecond.
Looking back, I suppose you can call a foul on that, sure. Powell reached through and got a touch on the elbow. However, it’s just not great that the whistle was belated; it was blown right after the shot. That’s more than enough time after the deed was done. So if it was whistled right then and there, then it wouldn’t be so egregious.
The best thing I can say to sort of salvage that kind of situation was that… to never put yourself in that kind of scenario. We can say the same thing about the other team, though. Maybe Booker shouldn’t have turned the ball over in the first place. Maybe Robert Covington shouldn’t have missed those two free throws. Whatever it is, the basketball gods can be so cruel and they decided that it was fate for Phoenix to win it all.
I don’t like saying it’s rigged; far too many things have to happen to get it to a certain point. Players have to make shots and they’re too good to miss on purpose. There’s a lot more money now for everyone (even the officials). And like I said, YOU try to officiate a game.
And I’ve seen tweets where people are like, “They want Phoenix to win!” Well, you can make an excuse for every team, really, and make it look like a conspiracy theory. I’m not naive to what goes on in the game; I’ve covered the game far too long and I’ve seen way too many basketball games, especially in the NBA. But stuff like this happens a bit more than to my liking and it’s no wonder why people think there’s something against their favorite team. But how can you really get better than these officials? Have robots referee each game? And even then, malfunctions are bound to happen.
It just sucks that, once in a while, a call like that can fudge up a playoff scenario. Let’s hope that this call doesn’t have any immediate ramifications for the Blazers.
Bullet Passes
So 9 of the 10 teams are set in the East. The Washington Wizards still have to win a game (or the Chicago Bulls have to lose a game) to get the field set. Honestly, though, I’m hoping this is the last of the play-in game. But it’s likely that it’s gonna be a permanent fixture.
The Sacramento Kings, however, continue their playoff drought at 15 years. So the Western Conference has their 10. What’s left is for Portland and the Lakers to fight out the 6th and 7th spots.
Miami beat Philly so the top spot is still up for grabs in the East. The Nets are only a game behind the Sixers with two games each left for both teams.
Ever since Domantas Sabonis came back from injury, I noticed an uptick in his passing.
His last 8 games? 22.8 points per, 13.9 rebounds, and 11.4 assists. Well then!
He deserves a better team.
Despite the loss, Anthony Edwards scored another 29 points and I don’t see how anyone else can win Rookie of the Year.
Clippers and Nuggets are still fighting over the 3rd and 4th spots. But I feel like Portland/L.A. would be more dangerous than the Dallas Mavericks. But that’s just me.
This might be the greatest season of all-time. Udonis Haslem comes in, plays three minutes, makes two shots, and promptly gets ejected after having a confrontation with Dwight Howard, who has been a nuisance to the league ever since he left Orlando. Watch this glorious video here.
(VIDEO CREDIT: Bleacher Report.)
Udonis Haslem forever.
NBA Scoreboard
May 13, 2021
Watch This Play
Coby White floats and hangs in the air before throwing it down as Stanley Johnson tries unsuccessfully to stop it.
Bulls announcers had the best call on this Coby White dunk 😠pic.twitter.com/Hb3aE36IGD
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 14, 2021
The Bulls are still alive, even though they are trying their best to just hang on to that little thread.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.