Did NBA Ref Cost The Heat The game?

Today’s Big Winner: Joey Crawford

Come on, Joey: It’s the playoffs.

Either the NBA ref needs a reminder of that — or he was clearly aware of it. There aren’t many other good explanations for that absurd sixth foul on LeBron.

Did that call irrevocably determine the result of the game? LeBron exited, baffled and frustrated (and for only the second time in his playoff career, mind you), but Miami was only down four with a minute to go. You could say that Dwyane Wade’s subsequent travel did them in, but — really — without LeBron, the Heat were a mess in that final minute, totally discombobulated.

But rewind two minutes for the real story of the game:

Tied at 89, Paul George missed a long 3 — Roy Hibbert was there for the offensive rebound and put-back. A minute later, the Pacers up 2, this sequence:

*Lance Stephenson misses a 3.
*David West gets the offensive rebound.
*Hibbert takes a jumpshot and misses…
*Hibbert hustles for his own rebound and puts it in.
*Add in an “and-one” on LeBron, his 5th foul.
*Hibbert makes the free throw. Pacers by 5.

LeBron’s long 3-pointer 10 seconds later made it interesting, but the Pacers’ punishing work up front was way more determinative than Joey Crawford’s look-at-me antics: The Pacers won the rebounding battle in the fourth quarter 17-4, part of a 49-30 rebounding advantage overall.

The existential threat to the Heat’s would-be dynasty is that for all of LeBron’s individual brilliance — and given Wade and now Bosh’s hobbled states, LeBron is more on his own than at any point since his final season in Cleveland — is Indiana’s size and tenacity inside.

It’s not like the Pacers have a huge advantage — even with the massive rebounding edge and sense of “must-win” urgency in front of a frenzied home crowd that clearly seemed to influence the officiating just enough to matter, they still barely beat the Heat.

But compare last night’s result to a year ago, when the Pacers, up 2-1 on the Heat in the conference semifinals, folded at home in Game 4 en route to being drummed out of the series.

This year, down 2-1 (including that Game 3 blowout loss at home), they took advantage of a hobbled Bosh and a hampered LeBron and, clearly, what the adjustments they have made between their fold a year ago plus their close calls earlier in the series and last night.

Presumably, the officiating will get its own “adjustment” for Game 5 and beyond, but the template of success for the Pacers is there, regardless of Joey Crawford’s influence:

NFLPA launches Official Inquiry Into Jay Z’s Alleged Recruitment Of Geno Smith

By Glenn Erby 

 

The NFL Players Association has sent a letter of inquiry to Roc Nation agent Kim Miale, concerning Jay-Z’s involvement in recruiting New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith.

According to Around The League, Miale will need to write the NFLPA a letter responding to the allegations, and depending on the facts, the matter then could be referred to the Committee on Agent Regulation and Discipline, which regulates agents for the union. A hearing could also take place.

The recently instituted “runner rule” prohibits agents from having colleagues or friends who aren’t NFLPA-certified agents present for recruiting meetings.

A lot of the concern the NFLPA has stems from an Instagram photo that shows Smith and Jay Z together under the moniker #RocBoys.

The NFLPA is trying to say that Smith hired Miale not because of Miale but because of Jay-Z.  The NFLPA also inquired about Jay Z’s relationship a few weeks back.

I”m not sure that the NFLPA really has a case.  Smith is allowed to have a relationship based on the potential for a marketing and endorsement deal.

Smith’s excuse simply can be that he wanted to handle his business under one roof.