Foul on Derek Fisher or No Foul?
By Larry Brown May 28, 2008 - Posted in Basketball

I suppose another way of asking the same question is: should the refs be blowing the whistle that late in the game? In case you missed the close play or want to see it again, here it is, because it’s pretty clear there’s a lot of contact.


That looks a lot like a foul, and I’ll go on the side that says Brent Barry should have been put on the line. But it’s not something I’m going to waste much oxygen on. The Lakers were in charge the entire game, leading the whole way. If the Spurs wanted to win, they had 48 minutes to ensure the game wouldn’t be put in the referees’ hands for the final seconds, which they let happen. Now one conspiracy theory issue is something BP pointed out at Awful Announcing prior to the game: Joe Crawford was reffing it. The same Joe Crawford who kicked Duncan out of a game last year for laughing. No nonsense Joe Crawford, who was responsible for the non-call on Fisher. I wouldn’t blame him for the loss — far from it — but I do think this is a great side note.

About Larry Brown:
Larry Brown has over nine years of professional sports media experience, working in online, radio, and TV capacities. He recently was a nationally syndicated sports radio host. Follow him on twitter @LBSports
Share
***Get the Full LBS Experience on our twitter page***

8 Comments
  • Jeff J

    I don’t know how many times I’ve seen Kobe go up for a game winning shot or drive the lane, and get hacked much worse than Barry by 2 or 3 guys and no foul is called. Its the nature of the game, the refs not wanting to take the final outcome out of the players hands. The Spurs and their fans can cry sour grapes all they want, but I am sure somewhere in this game, a Laker was fouled just as bad and nothing was called. This particular play is causing so much uproar only because its the last play of the game, and its being watched in super slow motion. Watch it again at regular speed and it hardly looks like a foul.

    If the Spurs didn’t want it to come down to this type of ending, how about they make a few of the wide open jumpers they took in the final 3 minutes.

    On a side note, it appears that the shot Derek Fisher took with 7 or 8 seconds left actually looks like it grazed the rim based on the trajectory it fell towards Duncan’s foot. This should have reset the shot clock, and being 5 seconds left, the Lakers would have been fouled and gone to the line, meaning the entire Barry fiasco wouldn’t have even happened. So, the non call was just the laws of nature balancing itself out for the missed call on the shot touching the rim.

  • Anders(on) Varejao

    The Lakers were not getting any calls all game. They finally got one, it just happened to be on the last play. It would have been a foul on the floor anyway since he took another dribble after the contact, which means he only would’ve been able to tie at the line, not take the lead.

    Consider it a make up for the Duncan travel, or the bogus Odom goaltending, or the multiple first half ticy tacks on the Lakers. The basketball gods have a way of evening these things up.

  • http://baseballmastermind.com Alan

    Foul, but Barry should have shot when he was fouled to get free throw shots.

  • JS

    A couple of months ago we were talking about UCLA getting calls or non-calls in the waning moments of a game.

    Same deal here, the entire game is made up of calls and non-calls. The refs should have reviewed Fisher’s shot for an hour if needed.

  • dan

    Fisher did foul Barry, but the fact Kobe did not even shoot a free throw and that the Lakers got jobbed on the 24 sec clock there at the end, no spur fan can really cry about it. I was hoping the Spurs would win it. I am also surprised Barry did not try and lean into Fisher after the contact. But overall the better team did win last night. But the bigger problem I see is having Crawford even officiate the game with his history with Duncan. I dont believe it played any part of it, but the NBA does not need the constant BS of conspiracy of trying to get a LA/Boston series. No matter I hope LA loses in the finals. But I dont think that will happen

  • SpinMax

    We argue these things every year…and one of these days it’ll involve a bigtime team like the Lakers getting hosed. But I wouldn’t hold my breath on that. I’ll watch the NFL where the screwing is completely random and ‘fair’ -lol

  • http://maxsportz.com maxsportz

    If a foul was called it would not been 3 free throws as he was NOT in the act of shooting period.

  • Pingback: Did No-Call End the Spurs’ Dynasty? | Larry Brown Sports