There were so many no-calls on LeBron James late in Game 2 that as I was leaving Oakland, I heard the local hosts bemoaning them. When the local homers are saying that the opposing megastar didn't get a fair shake? Yeah, there were probably some hijinx.
It was not a favorable whistle to James despite the Cavaliers' victory, and he didn't get some calls you would expect him to. The NBA issued its standard Last Two Minutes report on Monday, and admitted two key calls that, had the Warriors won, could have created a firestorm.
First came this play with 1:37 remaining in overtime. James posted up, faced a double-team, spun to a fadeaway, and was stripped. James was apoplectic over the call, screaming that Andre Iguodala got him on the arm. It wasn't tough to tell on replay, but live it was pretty close. The NBA admitted Iguodala got him, and a foul should have been called, but also said that James moved his pivot foot, which would have been a traveling violation.
That's the play everyone's talking about, but the more key play in my mind was the jumpball called with 45 seconds to go in overtime. Draymond Green forced a jumpball with a terrific contest on James. Where I was seated, I could see the backs of both players. Before the initial tip, Green put his arm on James to try and either push or hold him to deter the jumpball. The referee forced Green back into his position with his hands off, then jumped it up. You could see Green pulling on James, but instead, no call was made, the ball went right back to James, who grabbed it, resulting in a jumpball violation. The NBA admitted on Monday that Green should have been whistled there for the violation.
It's interesting that these two calls came against James, and were the most signficant Incorrect Non-Calls of the report. Scott Foster was the lead official for Game 1. Home teams, incidentally or not, are now 1-11 when Foster officiates in the playoffs.
You wonder if James will get a softer whistle in Games 3 and 4 at home in Cleveland.
