The NBA acknowledged a foul should have been called on the final possession of Game 4 in the Western Conference final. With 2.1 seconds left and the Spurs trailing by two, San Antonio's Brent Barry was bumped by Lakers guard Derek Fisher before taking a shot. No foul was called, and Barry missed a shot at the buzzer. Here's the video of the play.
Had the foul been called, Barry would've been awarded two free throws with a chance to tie the score. Instead, the Lakers won and took a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Two things jump out.
One is why is the NBA issuing statements like this? Why publicly embarrass the officials and incite fans by pointing out one call when there are probably dozens of calls and noncalls a game that could go either way. Why single out this one? Yes, it was the end of the game, and, yes, it should've been called. But both teams probably could dig up 10 other calls during the game that went the wrong way.
The other mistake happened before the game even started. The closest official to the Barry-Fisher play was Joey Crawford. You might remember Crawford was suspended at the end of last season after a verbal altercation with Spurs star Tim Duncan, who was ejected from a game by Crawford. Why in the world is Crawford officiating Spurs games this deep into the playoffs?
This is not to suggest that Crawford would have it in for the Spurs. But you know there are fans out there who do believe Crawford might be looking for payback. Why give them the ammunition, especially in the wake of all the bad publicity after official Tim Donaghy admitted to betting on games?
If Crawford has earned the right to officiate playoff games, let him work the Eastern Conference.
Tom Jones doesn't sing "It's Not Unusual'' or shake his hips (well, unless you're willing to pay cash), but he does have plenty to say about sports. If it's funny, crazy, weird, irreverent or worth arguing, Tom has his opinions. So pull up a chair and get his two cents -- and give him your two cents, as well.
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