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4/29/09
Rajon Rondo Fouls Brad Miller In Game 6 Of Celtics Versus Bulls
I'd Like To Know How This Isn't A Flagrant Foul
READ MORE:
NBA, Rajon Rondo, Brad Miller, Team News / Analysis, Player News / Analysis, Fights
by 100%InjuryRate more posts by author
51

Let me say right away that I'm not a Celtics fan nor am I a Bulls fan. I could care less about who wins this series. I have no loyalty to either team. With my Warriors nowhere in site, the only thing I'm looking for is exciting basketball. And hopefully decently reffed basketball.

I seem to be getting only one of those two.

As many of you saw last night, Brad Miller got clocked in the head by Rajon Rondo as he went in for the game tying-layup with 2 seconds remaining. Naturally, Miller - who is an 80% free throw shooter - was a little dazed when he finally went to the line, and as a result bricked two free throws which cost the Bulls a chance to tie.

But the question on everyone's mind was, why the hell was there no flagrant foul call on Rondo? I mean, this one wasn't even close. If you read the NBA rules on flagrant fouls, this thing was at a minimum a flagrant 1, and could have easily been a flagrant 2. Rondo never went for the ball, don't even try and argue that he did.

I've seen much cleaner fouls be called flagrant 1's, so what's the deal? Did the refs feel that they shouldn't call a foul at this point in the game? Did they accidentally swallow their whistles? Frankly, I'm not sure we'll ever know. But I at least know this much. Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle was right when he asked in a column recently, "When did basketball become mixed martial arts?"

And the problem is this happens every year. As a nearly always impartial observer of the NBA playoffs every year (because my Warriors suck), I see this crap happen year in and year out. No league has more problems with officials than the NBA. And it's why I consistently have a hard time taking anything about the NBA seriously anymore. And why should I? Especially if I can't even trust the refs to call a game correctly.
READ MORE: NBA, Rajon Rondo, Brad Miller, Team News / Analysis, Player News / Analysis, Fights
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4/29/09
18

Maybe the refs were browsing FanIQ yesterday and read Pat's article about Boston fans thinking the fix is in for the Bulls and decided to even things up

4/29/09
3
Horrible. Classic case of the referees knowing that they are in Boston and not having enough spinal column in them to do the right thing.

4/29/09
5
what?? it's not like they have ever proved a ref was on the take...

4/29/09
18

Maybe the refs were browsing FanIQ yesterday and read Pat's article about Boston fans thinking the fix is in for the Bulls and decided to even things up

4/29/09
2
It was a flagrant, but the call on Allen that fouled him out was horsesh*t as well.  Poor officiating across the board.  I fully expect this series to go 7.  Hopefully the refs will get their sh*t together and officiate a decent game if it does indeed go the distance. 

4/29/09
7
I don't think you get that call on the road or at the end of a playoff game.  The Bulls had a healthy lead with 3 or 4 minutes left in regulation.  It shouldn't have come down to this.  The whole thing was frustrating for sure.

4/29/09
4
The reason why it was not called is because the TV rating would be better if Boston won....the NBA has beocme a dog and pony show...

4/29/09
2
There were a lot of non-calls for the Bulls last night. Horrible officiating.

4/29/09
1
 bush league

4/29/09
1

HORRIBLE CALL!!!!  all i know, is this will go to a game 7, but I can't call who is going to take it in the end.  I just have to say BG has some mondo coconuts man, he has been hitting some major shots all series...and Rondo, officially the best player for the celts

4/29/09
0
Bashfulblue wrote:
The reason why it was not called is because the TV rating would be better if Boston won....the NBA has beocme a dog and pony show...
So.......if the Celtics won people could go back in time and not watch? Thats the only way the tv ratings could be changed. If there is a way let me know, I would really like the time back that I spent watching the red sox game last night

4/29/09
2
Rajon better watch his back in the next game

4/29/09
2
If that play happens in the 1st half, it's called as a flagrant foul.

For some reason, the refs call the 4th quarter, and the last 2 minutes in particular, differently.

As I said in another post today, this will continue until either Kobe or LeBron gets clocked like that in mid-air, falls awkwardly, and breaks their leg !!!!!!      

4/29/09
0
a fouls a foul i dont care what the time is left in the gaem call it if its done. if they dont u can argue that the game was fixed. it is what it is

4/29/09
3


4/29/09
1
The NBA needs some sort of Challenge flag like in the NFL.

The NFL suffered through some pretty bad miscalls in the past, but now things are getting better.

The Rondo foul to the head was as blatant as the Ludacris elbows by D. Howard. At least he got a technical foul call there.

Miller was freaking bleeding! A smack straight to the face and no technical/flagrant. The refs must be friends with Tim Donaghy and bet on the Celtics.


4/29/09
1
Pat wrote:

i coudnt have said it better myself

4/29/09
2
DrU_Boy wrote:
The NBA needs some sort of Challenge flag like in the NFL.

The NFL suffered through some pretty bad miscalls in the past, but now things are getting better.

The Rondo foul to the head was as blatant as the Ludacris elbows by D. Howard. At least he got a technical foul call there.

Miller was freaking bleeding! A smack straight to the face and no technical/flagrant. The refs must be friends with Tim Donaghy and bet on the Celtics.

The NBA is already using some forms of replay, but you have to realize... fouls are a judgment call. I think it would be dangerous to allow coaches to demand a replay for stuff like that.

Also, NBA officiating is SO bad that coaches would probably use their challenges in the first quarter, because there would already be 5-10 atrocious calls. Or, they would use them all in the last 10 seconds, so that would be the ONLY part of the game that would be officiated remotely well, and it would take even longer than it already does. There's no way it would work in the NBA.

4/29/09
0
Both teams suck...

4/29/09
4
Eric wrote:
Both teams suck...
Could you possibly expand on that a bit?  How so?

4/29/09
4
With Garnett out, someone has to accept the role of cheap shot artist.

4/29/09
1
(Edited by Pat)
derms33 wrote:
Rajon better watch his back in the next game
I'm sure this guy will watch his back!

4/29/09
2
That was a terrible call. Do they have to knock two of his teeth out to get a flagrant foul!   Noah has also had a lot of calls  go againest him this series.   

4/29/09
2
DrU_Boy wrote:
The NBA needs some sort of Challenge flag like in the NFL.

The NFL suffered through some pretty bad miscalls in the past, but now things are getting better.

The Rondo foul to the head was as blatant as the Ludacris elbows by D. Howard. At least he got a technical foul call there.

Miller was freaking bleeding! A smack straight to the face and no technical/flagrant. The refs must be friends with Tim Donaghy and bet on the Celtics.

not to mention the fact that even in the NFL you cant challenge a penalty or lack there of

4/29/09
2
Is it me or did Rondo almost fishhook Miller?

4/29/09
2
Great call.  Sour grapes for everyone who says otherwise.  The refs DID review the play, and they ruled it correctly.  PLUS!! MILLER STILL MISSED HIS FREETHROWS!!! HE COULDN'T EVEN HIT THE RIM WITH THE LAST ONE!!!  GET MAD AT HIM, NOT THE REFS!  People want to call bush league.  The definition of bush league is blaming the refs when your team doesn't win.  Booyakasha!

4/29/09
0
jswol54 wrote:
I'm sure this guy will watch his back!

or eat it

4/29/09
0
Drakesrake_77 wrote:
Great call.  Sour grapes for everyone who says otherwise.  The refs DID review the play, and they ruled it correctly.  PLUS!! MILLER STILL MISSED HIS FREETHROWS!!! HE COULDN'T EVEN HIT THE RIM WITH THE LAST ONE!!!  GET MAD AT HIM, NOT THE REFS!  People want to call bush league.  The definition of bush league is blaming the refs when your team doesn't win.  Booyakasha!
maybe he missed them because his eyes were nearly swelled shut

4/29/09
0
(Edited by Drakesrake_77)
derms33 wrote:
maybe he missed them because his eyes were nearly swelled shut

Yeah, and Rondo put the baseball bat he hit him with back in his shorts before the ref could see it?! That kind of contact is common in the NBA playoffs.  He had a little blood coming from his lip, and now Miller is on his way to the ICU!  I hope he had the strength to get out of his wheelchair to play game 6. 

4/29/09
0
I am not agreeing with the call. However, we need only to go back to Sundays game when the Bulls got the benefit of the " breakaway" call against Scalabrine with under a minute to play. THAT was a call you don't make in the final minute of a close game. You call the foul, the Bulls shoot two and the thats it. My point is they usually end up evening out. Also,Miller could have sat down on the bench and been replaced by another player to shoot the foul shots, if he was hurt (which he clearly was). The Bulls have veteran assistant coaches who should have been informing del Negro of his options. The Bulls had ample opportunity to put this one away and didn't.

4/29/09
0
Mannysworld wrote:
I am not agreeing with the call. However, we need only to go back to Sundays game when the Bulls got the benefit of the " breakaway" call against Scalabrine with under a minute to play. THAT was a call you don't make in the final minute of a close game. You call the foul, the Bulls shoot two and the thats it. My point is they usually end up evening out. Also,Miller could have sat down on the bench and been replaced by another player to shoot the foul shots, if he was hurt (which he clearly was). The Bulls have veteran assistant coaches who should have been informing del Negro of his options. The Bulls had ample opportunity to put this one away and didn't.
Miller could have sat down on the bench and been replaced by another player to shoot the foul shots, if he was hurt (which he clearly was).

The only problem with that is, if a player is subbed like that, he is out for the rest of the game and Doc Rivers gets to pick the free throw shooter. Miller had to shoot them because if he didn't, we would have seen Arron Gray get up there and miss those even worse than Miller did.

4/29/09
1


I've heard of the hand being apart of the ball but the head? It should have been a flagrant 1 and would have been...had that foul occurred in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd quarter. The refs made the judgement to not decide the game with a call and in turn, actually did decide the game with a call. Those are the breaks though.

4/29/09
0
Jubanator14 wrote:
Miller could have sat down on the bench and been replaced by another player to shoot the foul shots, if he was hurt (which he clearly was).

The only problem with that is, if a player is subbed like that, he is out for the rest of the game and Doc Rivers gets to pick the free throw shooter. Miller had to shoot them because if he didn't, we would have seen Arron Gray get up there and miss those even worse than Miller did.
I understand what you are saying, however, as other posts have pointed out, he was clearly dazed. I am not sure what Grays numbers from the line are but I am sure he would have had a better chance of making them then Miller in his condition. I am unclear on the rule regarding re-entering the game. But even if you are correct, if the two free throws aren't made the game is over anyway. Besides how useful would Miller have been if he was lucky enough to hit the two free throws? They would have been playing without him anyway.

4/29/09
0
I love my Bulls, but what happened was just.  People have been getting the crap knocked out of them forever in NBA playoff games.  That includes Michael, Magic, Larry Legend and so on and so on.  Then the great ones step up and knock down the free throws.  Brad Miller missed because... he's Brad Miller. 

4/29/09
0
Jubanator14 wrote:


I've heard of the hand being apart of the ball but the head? It should have been a flagrant 1 and would have been...had that foul occurred in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd quarter. The refs made the judgement to not decide the game with a call and in turn, actually did decide the game with a call. Those are the breaks though.
The game was not decided by that call. Even if they called the flagrant, they were still down by 2 points. There's no guarantee that they would have won.

4/29/09
0
Mannysworld wrote:
I understand what you are saying, however, as other posts have pointed out, he was clearly dazed. I am not sure what Grays numbers from the line are but I am sure he would have had a better chance of making them then Miller in his condition. I am unclear on the rule regarding re-entering the game. But even if you are correct, if the two free throws aren't made the game is over anyway. Besides how useful would Miller have been if he was lucky enough to hit the two free throws? They would have been playing without him anyway.
Yeah but a woozy Brad Miller is a better free throw shooter and a healthy Aaron Gray who has played a total of 1 minute and 23 seconds in this series and for the entire season is 34-59 from the free throw line.

4/29/09
0
Pat wrote:
The game was not decided by that call. Even if they called the flagrant, they were still down by 2 points. There's no guarantee that they would have won.
Oh no doubt but if they call a flagrant 1 then Miller get two free throws and the Bulls get the ball back. Say Miller makes one and the Bulls get the ball out on the side. That completely changes the anti-climatic ending of the game after Miller purposely missed that free throw.

4/29/09
0
Jubanator14 wrote:
Oh no doubt but if they call a flagrant 1 then Miller get two free throws and the Bulls get the ball back. Say Miller makes one and the Bulls get the ball out on the side. That completely changes the anti-climatic ending of the game after Miller purposely missed that free throw.
Judging by the way he miserably missed his attempt at a missed free throw, I honestly don't like his chances of hitting that 2nd one, either.

4/29/09
0
Pat wrote:
Judging by the way he miserably missed his attempt at a missed free throw, I honestly don't like his chances of hitting that 2nd one, either.
True but as a C's fan, you have to be happy that the Bulls didn't get another shot at a game winning or tying shot.

4/29/09
0
Jubanator14 wrote:
True but as a C's fan, you have to be happy that the Bulls didn't get another shot at a game winning or tying shot.
Of course......just like every Jet fan I know rejoiced when Brady went down. You don't care how your teams win as long as they win. The Jets still couldn't win the East  of course (ahem...choke ...choke) but thats a story for another forum...haha

4/29/09
0
Jubanator14 wrote:
True but as a C's fan, you have to be happy that the Bulls didn't get another shot at a game winning or tying shot.
Of course. I have no problem admitting that the call (no-call) affected the game. My only beef is when people pretend that the entire series hinged on this one play. That's flat out stupid.

4/29/09
0
Pat wrote:
Of course. I have no problem admitting that the call (no-call) affected the game. My only beef is when people pretend that the entire series hinged on this one play. That's flat out stupid.
Yeah. The game might have hinged/changed because of it but not the series.

4/29/09
1

No big deal, missed calls happen all the time. it will even out before the series is over. I'm sure that whoever wins this series it won't have much to do with this one play. It's not like when the Spurs/Suns a few years ago, now that was highway robbery and Tim Dongahey did ref that game.

4/29/09
0
One Simple Reason.....  The Game was in Boston.. Remember , The Bulls Aren't supposed to be in this position to start with...

4/29/09
0
chifanhawks wrote:
One Simple Reason.....  The Game was in Boston.. Remember , The Bulls Aren't supposed to be in this position to start with...

4/29/09
4
First, I love that people are on this site talking about the NBA, b/c not enough people care about it anymore.  But really people!?  Has anyone ever played the game?  You're watching it in slow-mo.  He missed the ball by fractions of a second.  I play pickup and we take fouls harder than this.  These guys get paid millions.  Look, it wasn't pretty, but people are getting all worked up over nothing.

5/2/09
1
Eric wrote:
Both teams suck...
I had to say it. One of my roommates is a Boston fan and he was watching me read this blog. My other roommate loves Chicago, so ... I had to say something negative.

I think this has by far been one of the best series' since I started watching basketball back in 1996

5/2/09
2
Eric wrote:
I had to say it. One of my roommates is a Boston fan and he was watching me read this blog. My other roommate loves Chicago, so ... I had to say something negative.

I think this has by far been one of the best series' since I started watching basketball back in 1996
One of my roommates is a Boston fan and he was watching me read this blog. My other roommate loves Chicago, so ... I had to say something negative.

Sounds like a crappy sitcom on ABC.

 
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