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It was a good hard foul on Gasol. Unlike the Fisher foul, it wasn't premeditated.
Artest should not have been thrown out.

Im a Laker fan and I thought it should just be a foul on Battier, Artest was clearly making a play on the ball.

The refs' negative perception on Artest has led to his two ejections in the past two games. I feel bad for Artest. The guy is misunderstood in so many ways.

It was a hard foul by one of our players, and Artest happened to be at the scene. EJECTION!

Anyway, our management will file a complaint and get the call downgraded to a flagrant 1 - although it wasn't even a flagrant foul.

Obviously, that was a terrible call. I am exremely happy that it came so late so the outcome of the game couldnt be blamed on the refs by some rocks fans again. I can see your guys' point of view but I actually think the Lakers have been called for far more ticky tack fouls then the rockets have, and the numbers show it. Overall, great game and sunday should be even better.

I honestly think the referees should be fined for that call, no joke.

That was the worst call ive ever seen simply because they got to use the replay screen. There was no question that that was NOT EVEN A FLAGRANT.

He made a play on the ball, the ball was near Gasols head. Artest immediately said I was going for the ball. I honestly cant believe that call, flagrant 2s are grabbing the neck, elbowing in the head, etc.

Main point is a Flagrant Foul is when you dont make ap lay on the ball and foul a player. Gasol was not even in mid air and just fell hard.

Unbelievable especially considering they have a replay

lakersk8b wrote:Obviously, that was a terrible call. I am exremely happy that it came so late so the outcome of the game couldnt be blamed on the refs by some rocks fans again. I can see your guys' point of view but I actually think the Lakers have been called for far more ticky tack fouls then the rockets have, and the numbers show it. Overall, great game and sunday should be even better.

Lol the refs are tougher on the Lakers?

It sucks that Artest has to worry about even breathing wrong or be thrown out.

Honestly I dont even think it was a hard foul like coach said. Looked to me he hit the ball into Gasols head and gasol tripped.

He didnt grab him and throw him down or anything, if im Stu Jackson im reviewing that play with the referees and determining what a flagrat foul is because these refs have no idea, let alone what deserves an ejection

Miami's Finest wrote:

lakersk8b wrote:Obviously, that was a terrible call. I am exremely happy that it came so late so the outcome of the game couldnt be blamed on the refs by some rocks fans again. I can see your guys' point of view but I actually think the Lakers have been called for far more ticky tack fouls then the rockets have, and the numbers show it. Overall, great game and sunday should be even better.

Lol the refs are tougher on the Lakers?

It sucks that Artest has to worry about even breathing wrong or be thrown out.

No. The refs have called more minimal contact fouls on the Lakers. Other then the ejections and todays flagrant, I think they have done a pretty good job.

They have been reffing Artest horribly up until now, so it's no surprise to see more of this garbage.

shocking call... refs making calls based on reputation is really getting outa hand n rons a victim of it

lakersk8b wrote:
No. The refs have called more minimal contact fouls on the Lakers. Other then the ejections and todays flagrant, I think they have done a pretty good job.

I don't know about the calls favoring the Rockets. I think for the most part the officiating has been great - aside from Artest's back-to-back ejections.

I feel bad for Artest, the Rockets, and you fans. It's a damn shame the NBA is 'targetting' Artest. That wasn't even a playoff foul. Just a hard foul. Definitely does not warrant an ejection or flagrant calling. His antics in Game 1 bothered me in how the referees responded to the situation. Artest was trying to explain himself. Yet, the second he was called for the foul and tried to explain the situation to the officials, they did not hear it. Its a shame. In the age of Instant Replay, it would be wise for officials to hear anyone's case, take a look at Instant Replay, then make a decision. The officials did not want to hear Artest's case for a second. You can bet if it was Kobe, LBJ, or Wade, they would have listened to their arguements if they somehow called a foul on them in Bizarro world.

Yeah, didn't affect the game, but that was a joke.

Even every Laker fan that I have talked to has said that was just a hard playoff foul. Now that is saying something.

terrible call to call it a flagrant, its the same as the ariza on rudy flagrant 2. and i didnt think that was a flagrant either

ron got ball and his elbow got gasol, but that was definitely just a hard foul

It's a shame, even today before the game, Ron was talking about how his past still haunts him. As a Laker fan I feel bad for Ron. I know we all saw that Kobe's elbow to Ron in Game 2 hit his chest and not throat, but still, if that Kobe foul doesn't warrant a flagrant foul durng the game (let alone a foul period) then there is no way Ron's foul deserves a flagrant, let alone flagrant 2 which is an automatic ejection. First, Pau is extra soft and weighs about 110 lbs, so a light tap by Artest would knock him down and second, Pau was off balance. This is just a case of Artests' past affecting the call. I'm just glad it had no effect on the outcome.

Fragrant should be on battier he did not make a play on the ball and the hard landing was as a result of him pushing from behind..

That said history will always follow artest he will never get those calls in his favor..

He is a like a lit fuse and the refs get worried when such situation arises.

"I had a clear path to the rim and I attacked the basket and someone knocked me down," Gasol said. "He got my head and it was a dangerous play at the end of the game, but things happen like that."

No need for that.

So would I.