It looked to me like he dragged his pivot foot about 8 inches on that final play. Maybe he gets "star treatment," especially in the final play of the game. That doesn't seem fair to Washington, though.
[Edited by - Bonn1997 on 04-29-2006 08:31 AM]
I thought he traveled too. but the weird thing is, no news or sports outlet has mentioned it thus far. so maybe you and I are both wrong.
Posted by SlimPack:
I thought he traveled too. but the weird thing is, no news or sports outlet has mentioned it thus far. so maybe you and I are both wrong.
Yeah, that's why I posted this. I was surprised no sports outlet had mentioned it and no one on the Wizards had either.
Are you guys talking about the game winner? I didnt think he traveled on that play. I'll look at the highlightsmore closely now.
He didn't travel. Anyone see the similarities between LeBron and Jordan, this guy just takes games over. wouldn't it be something also that James is going to have to go through Detroit just like Jordan did in the past.
Wow great thread Bonn! Myself(gunsnewing) included were watching the game with a bunch of friends and one of our friends was screaming that he traveled. None of us really saw it until the replay though. He traveled but who doesnt in the NBA.
Posted by Bonn1997:
It looked to me like he dragged his pivot foot about 8 inches on that final play. Maybe he gets "star treatment," especially in the final play of the game. That doesn't seem fair to Washington, though.
[Edited by - Bonn1997 on 04-29-2006 08:31 AM]
I never would have considered whether it was fair to the Wizards. Or if he did get a call if preffered treatment was applicable.
Bonnies astute and off the charts comprehension of the game and " A beautiful mind" like ability to disect the obscure and bring it to the frontal lobe of conciousness for us mortals is truly a gift we should bow down and be forever grateful for.
[Edited by - nalod on 04-29-2006 12:00 PM]
He traveled definitely. Ridiculous it wasn't called. Changed pivot feet.
bonn.....good looking out
Wizards complain about favorable calls for LeBron
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Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- As far as the Washington Wizards are concerned, LeBron James' first NBA playoff game-winning shot came with an assist -- from the officials.
And, Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said Saturday, what he thinks should have been a traveling call is part of a pattern of James getting protection from referees. He said that's the type of help Washington's own All-Star, Gilbert Arenas, isn't receiving in the first-round Eastern Conference series that Cleveland leads 2-1.
"I'm not going to get fined for saying what's obvious. Everybody sees it," Jordan said after practice ahead of Sunday's Game 4 against the Cavaliers.
"I want to give all the credit to Cleveland, [coach] Mike Brown and his staff and their players, but the truth is the truth. I want our players to understand that we did a lot of things to win the game, and because a travel wasn't called, you don't win the game."
James finished off his franchise playoff-record 41-point performance Friday night by banking in a 4-footer with 5.7 seconds left after moving past Antonio Daniels and drawing contact from Michael Ruffin.
That shot provided the final margin as Cleveland beat Washington 97-96 to reclaim home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
"Officials are human, and they see a great move by a great player ... or they see a hop-through move that's a travel, and they say, 'That's a great move by a great player, and it's an exciting move. It's a great finish. We'll let it go.' That's how I look at it," Jordan said.
"Clearly," he continued, "Gil doesn't get the calls that LeBron gets."
Arenas, who missed an open 3-pointer after James' shot, said all he could think about after the game was what he felt James got away with.
"You look at the game tape, you actually see the travel, and then he came down and then he threw the ball up," Arenas said. "That's how they've got to beat us. We feel we're not going to get beat straight up."
Not surprisingly, James said he didn't take too many steps on the play. Asked about it Saturday, he analyzed what happened with the same matter-of-fact demeanor that's made him a superstar at the ripe old age of 21.
"It was a basic up-and-under move ... all big men do in this league. Not too many guards or forwards. That's why a lot of people think I travel," James said.
"I've not seen the play yet, but it doesn't come down to one play," he added. "The game is not won or lost on one play."
Told of Jordan's comments about the officiating, Brown smiled and pulled out a stat sheet.
Then the first-year coach began rattling off various comparisons, noting that Arenas and James have taken the same number of free throws in the series (35), that the Cavaliers have been whistled for nine more fouls than the Wizards, and that Washington has taken 20 more free throws so far.
"Eddie's doing what he needs to do as a coach, by trying to draw attention to LeBron because of the success that LeBron has had so far," Brown said.
Then he wondered aloud whether Ruffin should have been called for a foul on that key play.
And he wondered whether Arenas got a favorable ruling when James was called for a blocking foul on the point guard's three-point play that put the hosts ahead 96-95 with 23.4 seconds left.
"Sometimes you get calls, sometimes you don't," Brown said. "They're both great players."
Jordan's complaint is not a new one, of course.
For years, coaches of teams that faced certain stars -- Michael Jordan comes to mind -- have griped about special treatment from the refs, particularly in the playoffs.
"If the Pat Rileys and the [Gregg] Popoviches and ... the Phil Jacksons and the Larry Browns can say what I'm saying, then that's what I'm saying," Jordan said. "I'm going to stand up for my team."
