With the Brooklyn Nets down four to the Detroit Pistons and under 30 seconds left, Deron Williams broke free into the lane, seemingly ready to put down an open layup or easy dunk. Then, all of a sudden, the ball popped out of his hands, off his knee, and out of bounds. No whistles were blown.
Replay clearly showed that Brandon Jennings, Williams’s defender, hooked Williams’s arm, which led to Williams losing control.
That call wasn’t the reason the Nets lost the game. They were outscored 38-20 in the second quarter and 60-38 in the paint. The Nets even got a big three-pointer from Paul Pierce after this play, which cut the lead to just two points with under 15 seconds left. But it was a swing call at a crucial juncture of the game, one that almost eliminated Brooklyn’s already slim chances of completing their 21-point comeback, and the Nets ultimately fell, 103-99.
I do get why the refs can’t call a foul in replay situations — when plays are slowed down or seen on replay, anything that’s a judgment call is open to a wide variety of interpretations. It could cause havoc (and slow the game down considerably) if referees were allowed to make foul calls based on replays.
But one thought: perhaps the NBA can look at plays that involve significant contact considered not a “basketball play” that cause a potential change in possession.
What do you think?
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