The entire fallout and controversial finish to the Mavericks/Nuggets Game 3 on Saturday night could have easily been avoided. Follow me now. Up by two and with a foul to give, the Mavericks were intentionally trying to foul the Nuggets in order to keep them from attempting a three-point shot that would have won the game. Problem is, if you’re trying to foul someone … you need to foul them! It’s not about the officials missing a call nor Rick Carlisle saying that he yelled and yelled at Wright to commit the foul, it’s about what Antoine Wright didn’t do to Carmelo Anthony. Check out the clip in this clear video:
All I saw there was a wimpy little flailing hand go Melo’s way. You notice how Wright just completely lets Melo go past him doing one of those hands up “I didn’t touch him” gestures? That’s how players act when they don’t want to be called for a foul! Same exact thing happened in the Memphis/Kansas final minute two years ago. Calipari wanted his team to foul but they did the exact same thing, the hands up deal. No matter what Mark Cuban or Rick Carlisle argue about the refs blowing it, one thing is clear to me: Antoine Wright is in the wrong because he didn’t properly foul Melo, furthermore, he gave up and just let Melo have an open shot before the whistle blew. Had he fouled properly, everything would have been solved from the start and we could be looking at a 2-1 series in that case. By the way, did you see the Cuban slap to the TV cameraman afterwards? Man is he funny. Get outta my fezz!!!
