The 2008 NBA Playoffs have been full of exciting match ups and great come backs. In the West, the higher seeded teams have played strong and made it to the 2nd round. In the East, the teams least expected to struggle are the ones that have been challenged. Unfortunately, I feel as though every game could’ve been even better had the referees not made so many poor calls. Allow me to review a few plays that I don’t agree with.

Jason Kidd flagrant foul on Jannero Pargo:

As you watch Pargo run to the basket, Jason Kidd makes a clear attempt to go for the ball. As the ball is obviously hidden, Kidd has no choice but to foul and prevent the easy lay up. While Pargo jumped in the air, Kidd’s left arm got caught around Pargo and Kidd’s momentum carried him past Pargo. As Kidd passed by he attempted to prevent the basket either way and his arm got stuck around Pargo’s neck. I feel that because Jason Kidd’s arm was stuck there, and his back was somewhat to the play, he couldn’t tell exactly what was going on and had no intention of creating such a dangerous play. No harm, no foul. Pargo walked away, and Kidd was ejected. I felt that the foul could be called as a flagrant, but I don’t think it required an ejection. Luckily, Kidd wasn’t suspended, although his play was worse than that of Darius Songaila on Lebron James.

Darius Songaila “punches” Lebron James:

This call I had to completely disagree with. I don’t feel that there was any intent on the part of Darius Songaila to hurt Lebron James and the call that was made on the court ended up being the correct one. I understand the assessment of a technical foul based on the contact to the face, but for the league office to suspend Songaila for a pivotal game during an intense playoff series is ludicrous. It’s unbelievable that Lebron James gets this much credit from the refs.

In game five when Lebron missed the four foot bank shot with no one around him for the game winner, I understood a lot about him. Deshaun Stevenson called Lebron James overrated going into this series, and to an effect, I can’t help but agree with him, to an extent. A great player must be a clutch player. I great player must be the floor general and must be the best player on the court every time he steps onto the court. Lebron James was turned into a superstar before he even scored his first basket the summer of the draft. Just like Dwyane Wade got all the calls during Miami’s championship run in 2006, Lebron is getting all the ticky tack calls now. The Cavs won game 5 because Delonte West hit a jump shot at the end. When Lebron can’t pass it up and is forced to go for the win, he chokes. In case you guys didn’t notice, as Lebron took the shot, he landed on the floor, and laid around looking at the refs as if he couldn’t believe he didn’t get the call. I was stunned, but at the same time, I was a WITNESS.

I also heard on ESPN radio one of the best points. If Lebron James had been in the position of Darius Songaila, and Songaila was the player getting backhanded in the chin, would Lebron James have been suspended? I think not…

Zaza Pachulia and Kevin Garnett scuffle with Sam Cassell going crazy on the side:

This is the play that bothers me most. Kevin Garnett fouls Zaza Pachulia by throwing his forearm into his throat/jaw area and Zaza comes back into KG’s face. Understandable considering how much trash talk Garnett has been doing all season long. He’s always running his mouth and he’s always talking smack. Perhaps an eight seed in the East is more intimidating than we all expected. Either way, Joe Johnson made the most veteran play of everyone on the court. He moved in between Zaza and KG and pushed Zaza away to avoid the battle. Guess who gets involved next?

Sam I Am, the one and only Sam Cassell starts running around like a mad man searching for someone to start a fight with. He’s lucky, he locates a smart Joe Johnson who doesn’t knock him out and instead walks away. The end result is a bunch technicals and no suspensions. Once again, the superstar avoids a suspension because he’s a superstar. Kevin Garnett should’ve been suspended for game five, Zaza Pachulia should’ve been suspended for game five, and neither suspension occured. Also, Kendrick Perkins and Marcus Williams left their respective benches and stepped onto the court, which is automatic suspension for the following games. Those suspensions weren’t assesed either.

Maybe gang signs from Paul Pierce will do the trick… or maybe not…