Whistle… Whistle… Whistle…

Lamar Odom has 4 fouls…

Whistle… Whistle… Whistle…

Derek Fisher has 4 fouls… Sasha Vujacic has 4 fouls… Jordan Farmar has 3 fouls… Pau Gasol has 3 fouls…

THATS ONLY THE END OF THE 3RD QUARTER.

At the end of the 3rd qaurter of game four in San Antonio at the AT&T Center, the Los Angeles Lakers led the San Antonio Spurs by 7 points with a score of 77-70.

How they managed to pull that off is beyond me based on one simple fact: Through three quarters, the Spurs shot 26 free throws and the Lakers shot 12, each team missing two shots.

Allow me to break down what happens throughout the game if the whistle doesn’t blow:

1. Lamar Odom plays more than 31 minutes. He’s averaging 38 minutes per game this season and even more in the playoffs with 42 minutes per game against the Utah Jazz.
2. Derek Fisher plays more than 24 minutes as he averages 27 minutes per game during the regular season and 32 during the playoffs.
3. Sasha Vujacic plays more than 19 minutes as he’s averaging almost 25 minutes per game in this series against San Antonio.
4. The San Antonio Spurs don’t shoot 26 free throws (+14 over the Lakers).
5. The Lakers go into the 4th quarter with a 21 point lead (7 + 14 = 21).

Now, I watched the entire game, from tip off to no call. Was there a foul at the end, sure. Should the foul have been called, NO. To me, there are plenty of reasons that the foul shouldn’t have been called:

1. The Spurs had already been favored at the line (only in the 4th quarter did the Lakers shoot 7 free throws).
2. The Spurs should not have had the chance to tie considering Derek Fisher‘s shot with just over 5 seconds remaining grazed the rim and deflected directly down off of Robert Horry‘s leg. The ball touched the rim, the shot clock should’ve been reset, the Lakers should’ve been shooting 2 free throws after the inbounds, and the game should’ve/hopefully would’ve been two possession with under 3 seconds to go.Ironically enough, the source that has made the most sense in this entire ordeal is the San-Antonio Express News. Buck Harvey has put together a great summary of game four, referencing back to the 2004 playoffs when Shaq famously said, “one lucky shot deserves another.” Well this year, one mistake by the officials deserves another, in reference to the shot clock not being reset for the Lakers.
3. Brent Barry took 12 3-pointers in this game and made 5. He was shooting well but we all know he’s not a catch, dribble, create, free myself up, drill a game winning three kind of guy. Barry simply doesn’t have the necessary experience to make a play in that situation. The inexperience really showed as even the analysts said it was a no call simply because Barry didn’t jump into Derek Fisher. He attempted to go around him and thus his last “shot” not “play” wasn’t affected by Fisher. Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Paul Pierce, they all jump into Fisher on that one, pick up the foul and go to the line for 3 shots. Had the foul even been called in this situation, it would’ve only been a two shot foul because Barry didn’t jump and wasn’t in the shooting motion.
4. Officials don’t make calls on the last play of the game that potentially decide the outcome of the game, it’s well known and to be expected.
5. Kobe Bryant shot 0 free throws on 29 shot attempts. Does anyone truly understand this? (more to come)

The game has already been labeled as controversial by so many. The Joey Crawford Controversies are popping up from all over the place. I don’t quite undersatnd why though. Let it go. The Spurs have been on top for so long and it’s now time for them to take a collective bow and step down.

I’ve heard some pretty crazy ideas on how to fix the NBA, but the following one may be by far the craziest. Basketbawful, which happens to be one of my favorite sites simply based on the content, dictionary, and comedic relief it provides me, has come up with an insanely ridiculous rule change for the NBA. Take a look for yourself. I have one response, the free throw differential was already vast enough to the point where the Spurs were only in the game because of their time at the line. Give Pop a few more chances to get an offensive play with 3 seconds on the clock and the Spurs win 99/100. How does the team that played defense all game long and got called for ticky tack fouls ever win a game?

Another interesting article came up at The West Coast Bias Sports Blog stating the following, “You know if Kobe made that pump fake, he would’ve got the call. Heck, RK’s boy Sasha Vujacic got the same call on a three-pointer toward the end of the third quarter.” I’ve got news for you, Brent Barry didn’t make the pump fake, he wasn’t in the motion of shooting when Fisher bumped him, Sasha Vujacic didn’t sell anything because he was hit as the ball left his hands, and Kobe Bryant didnt get a single call for 4 quarters. Don’t be so biased Mr. Biased Sports Blogger, Kobe Bryant shot 29 field goals and 0 free throws. What superstar in this league takes 29 shots and isn’t fouled one time? Can you honestly say that Kobe Bryant wasn’t fouled a single time during this game? Did the refs not favor the Spurs the entire first three quarters and give them a chance to even be alive going into the 4th?

As the game is over, the controversies continue to pile up, and Spurs fans are for no reason outraged over one play, the Lakers are back home in LA preparing for game five of the Western Conference Finals. The same game five that could be the end to a San Antonio Spurs dynasty. The same game five that will force RC Buford to blow apart 80% of the roster this offseason. The same game five that will act as the switching of the guard and allow the Lakers to step in as the new team to beat (for years to come).

But, again, let’s not forget. There is still plenty of work to be done before this series is over. With a 3-1 lead and 2 out of 3 remaining games to be played at Staples Center, where the Lakers are undefeated this postseason, we can’t just forget about what happened in 2006 when the Phoenix Suns came back and beat us from a 3-1 deficit. Game 5 will be huge, it will be monumental, it will be the game of the year.