Stern admits foul should have been called on fisher

[Storm Surge]

This is like a first ever. League admits refs were wrong. on espn wiretap and yahoo.

[HarlemHeat37]

they've admitted their wrong-doings a number of times this year..

anyways, this thread should be locked, or sent to the Spurs-Lakers game thread IMO..we have to hear about the complaints about "calls" and "dirty plays" involving the Spurs everyday, no need to talk about our big losses now too..

the bottom line is, LA deserved the win..Lakers 3, Spurs 1..that's the only thing that matters..

[rayofsunshine]

well replay it then. LAME.

[raleigh]

No Shaq = no replay?

Kobe should be pissed.

[Jordan-esque]

This is like a first ever. League admits refs were wrong. on espn wiretap and yahoo.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3416412

ESPN:

The league office on Wednesday reviewed the final play of the San Antonio Spurs' 93-91 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals and acknowledged that a two-shot foul should have been called on Derek Fisher for impeding Brent Barry.

(BUT...)

The Spurs, in truth, wouldn't have had a chance to tie or win the game in the final two seconds if not for a fortuitous non-call on the previous possession.

Television replays indicated that Fisher's shot with 6.9 seconds to go grazed the rim before bouncing out of bounds off of Robert Horry's leg, meaning that the Lakers should have had a new shot clock instead of asking Kobe Bryant to hurry a fadeaway jumper after the ensuing timeout.

The new shot clock likely would have forced San Antonio to foul Bryant as opposed to getting the ball back off Bryant's miss to draw up a potential game-winning play.

League says foul should've been called on Barry's shot, but also says from the replay before the last Laker possession should have given the Lakers a new shot clock, but the refs didn't.

So it's all even.

[KDRE]

Oh okay I get it.

We missed a call so we gave that team a gimme to decide the game.


The NBA, where we screwing your team while you sit there helpless happens.

[5DOM]

-= original quote snipped =-



League says foul should've been called on Barry's shot, but also says from the replay before the last Laker possession should have given the Lakers a new shot clock, but the refs didn't.

So it's all even.

i dont know which is worse

1. make one mistake
2. make two mistakes, but one for each team.

[Hard2dhole]

Barry if he got the call would have only deserved 2 shots as he dribbled after the foul so there was no continuation. Spurs would have tied at best.

[SactownHrtBrks8]

If Barry hadn't put the ball on the ground i'd say it was bull **** call, but sense he dribbled, it was a good no call.

[ninetyone4ever]

If your a ref, do you really want to call a 2 shot in the penalty foul (as this was in no way shape or form a shooting foul on the 3) on a team when they are obviously going for a 3 pointer to win the game? Wouldn't this be purposely manipulating the outcome of a game? I believe there would have been some controversy had Fisher been called for the two shot foul, Barry made both free-throws, and then the Lakers lost in overtime. People would have been yelling conspiracy. If Barry made only 1 of 2 free throws, the Lakers get the ball back with around 1.0 second left on the clock and win the game, Spurs would be crying "foul" on the ref stopping the clock when they still had one last opportunity to get off a 3. Sometimes there is no right call.. and this is one of them.

[NO-KG-AI]

What if that shot goes in, and the refs call a 2 shot foul? I would LOL at the outrage.

[studcrackers]

im surprised stern isnt stubborn enough to admit a wrongdoing.

though IMO i wouldnt have called a foul there either, and as a laker hater you'd normally find me bitching about stuff like that.

i was drunk last night but i do now remember seeing the ball hit the rim on the replay, and even after kobe jacked up that shot i completely forgot about that play.

[Vindicater]

Im glad, the Spurs have been getting every advantage in big games from the refs for the last decade, god to see the pendulam swing the other way for once.

Note: not a laker fan either, just dont like the way the spurs have been the refs little favourites for so long

[HarlemHeat37]

LOL @ the last decade..try 2 years..

[eatyourchildren]

http://www.sportshubla.com/2008/05/28/according-to-the-code-no-call-was-the-right-call/

Joey Crawford abiding by "the code"?

[snaquille oatmeal]

i wonder why the NBA didn't mentioned that Barry traveled when he moved his pivet foot before he dribbled.

[Ern III]

I applaud the NBA's forthwright approach to this issue. Good on them for submitting an honest self-appraisal.

But, man, what planet are Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson on?! Instead of their courtside, pre-Game 6 analysis in Detroit next, I'd like to see Mike Breen alternately thumping each of them on the side of the head with a microphone for two minutes.

How anybody could attempt to intelligently argue that the rules which constitute the very definition of any particular sport are to be ignored during arbitrarily decided segments of the game is absolutely baffling.

[GreenWithEnvy]

If Barry hadn't put the ball on the ground i'd say it was bull **** call, but sense he dribbled, it was a good no call.

i HATE this argument. so are you saying if a player dribbles to an open spot a defender is allowed to clobber him just because he dribbled? stupidest logic ever.

[Pancho_Pantera]

Well it looks like the Spurs will take game 5 100 percent guaranteed. That's just how this pos league works.

[eatyourchildren]

Well it looks like the Spurs will take game 5 100 percent guaranteed. That's just how this pos league works.

Why are you watching the NBA still? Actually, why are you on a internet message board writing about the NBA?