Nielsen on Raptors: You make the call
Posted February 12, 2012 7:08 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It was an odd ending to an odd game.
After spending a good portion of Sunday’s game with the Lakers fighting back to take the lead after a large first-quarter deficit, the Toronto Raptors had two chances to beat Los Angeles in the final five seconds and failed both times. The final result ended up being a 94-92 Lakers victory.
On the first opportunity, with the Lakers leading by a point and only 4.2 seconds remaining on the game-clock, Raptors coach Dwane Casey inserted Rasual Butler into the game to inbound the ball and the team was handed a five-second violation.
If you’re a Raptors player, coach or fan you could argue that it was an awfully fast count – especially for a call you rarely see made in the NBA.
“I asked (referee Scott Foster) to count out loud and he did,” Butler explained. “I heard four, I turned to call a timeout and he felt like it was five seconds.”
Butler said he was disappointed, “You always want to get your team a shot to win the game.”
Casey was unwilling to talk about the referee’s decision after the game.
“I like my money, what little money I make I like it, so I’m not going to comment on it,” Casey said, eluding to the fact that he would be fined by the NBA if he said something about the officiating.
(By the way, shouldn’t the officials have to answer to the media after games for moments just like these?)
Now of course, if you are on the Lakers’ side, you would see the call as the correct one.
Lakers star Kobe Bryant said he wasn’t surprised by the call. “I didn’t go to college but I can count. It was five seconds — good defence on our part.”
Some might ask: why was Butler inserted into the game to make the pass as he had not seen any action in the game whatsoever until that point?
“He’s our best inbound passer because what teams normally do is put their longest guy on the ball. He’s our best inbounds passer. He sees the situation as a veteran player.”
What makes that answer a little perplexing is that the Raptors found themselves in a similar situation soon after when they quickly fouled Bryant who promptly missed one of his first free throws, leaving the Raptors facing a two-point deficit with 3.7 seconds remaining. They still had a chance to win or at least send the game to overtime.
The Raptors were given the ball at halfcourt and this time, sure-handed Jose Calderon was given the responsibility of getting the ball inbounds.
Not to play Devil’s Advocate, but why was Butler not taking the second inbounds as well? Especially considering the fact that Calderon had scored a career-best 30 points on the night?
(Ok. I played Devil’s Advocate there for a moment.)
Calderon was able to get the second inbound pass into DeMar Derozan, who took a step-back three and air-balled it.
The shot selection was another interesting choice as the Raptors only needed a deuce to even the score but in DeRozan’s defence, he had a hand in his face as he launched the shot.
A few funny moments from around the ACC this weekend:
1. After Friday’s loss to the Raptors, a few reporters were still in the Boston Celtics locker room waiting to talk to Rajon Rondo when his teammate Paul Pierce had a recommendation for the scribes to watch the documentary Forks Over Knives. He said it would change our lives.
When asked if it had changed his life, Pierce responded by saying, “No. But it made me think.”
2. Before Sunday’s loss to the Lakers, Casey said that Andrea Bargnani has been doing a lot of work in the pool. Casey’s new nickname for the big Italian is “Flipper”.
A reporter asked for a report on Bargnani’s swimming skills and Casey said, “It’s better than mine because I can’t swim a lick.”
3. After the game on Sunday, Lakers forward Luke Walton offered a slice of pepperoni pizza to Metta World Peace to which he politely declined.
Walton tried to convince him to grab a slice by saying, “It’s good for you.”
