Moments after Game Two of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, Los Angeles forward Lamar Odom was asked if officiating is hard to figure out in the Finals. His response: laughter.
Is it me or does it seem that the officials are trying to push this series to go the distance?
I believe it is safe to say that Game Two had more than its fair share of questionable calls. Although calls went poorly both ways, it truly seemed that the Lakers received the short end of the stick.
The final foul count: 29-29 (so much for home-court advantage).
Regardless of the foul count being even, the important part about the call is on WHO it lies upon, and WHEN.
Example No. 1, The Who: Throughout the game, it appeared that Kobe Bryant was being called for, as the French would say, c'est de la connerie (I'll let you figure out what that means ). Bothered by bogus calls, Bryant played a career-Finals-low 34 minutes.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson must be thinking: "I rest my star-players during the regular season so the officials can put them in foul-trouble during the Finals?"
One of the best things that David Stern has done since becoming NBA commissioner, was the expansion of instant-replay. From validating possession when the ball goes out-of-bounds, to reviewing if a player had his foot on the 3-point line, the great thing about replay, is the opportunity it gives officials to correct their mistakes.
Example No. 2, The When: At the 1:56 mark of the fourth quarter, a tipped ball between Kevin Garnett and Pau Gasol went out of bounds. Despite originally giving the possession to Boston, the officials decided to review the play. With the ability to make-up for their mistake, the officials do not atone for the poor c...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
