You have seen the replay in slow motion. Unless my eyes are lying to me, Bruce Bowen not only fouled LeBron James on the final play of the game. He intentionally fouled him, which makes sense, with the Spurs up three and eager to give up two free throws to a poor free throw shooting team. (The trick was to foul him before he was shooting -- which is debatable, in this case. Not worth going there right now. Especially as, among journalists, the story is that even if he got three free throws, James likely would have missed at least one of them.)
But when it's a three-point game, with the clock running out, and there's a big foul on the big star, that's supposed to be called. Right?
And if history is any guide, this series is essentially over. So, surely, this is the time when the Cleveland Cavaliers will ring up some fines from the league and let loose on the referees, right?
Wrong.
LeBron James met the media after the game, and this is what happened:
How did you feel about what happened on the final play?
On the three pointer? We had to go for a three, we were down three points. You know, it went in and it came out.
To follow up, what about the push in the back from Bruce?
No, incidental contact.
Excuse me?
Incidental contact. It didn't affect my shot. I had a good look at it and I missed.
Is he lying? I suspect he is, in an honorable way. (UPDATE: Here's the proof.)
Nine days ago, Steve Kerr wrote this on Yahoo, about the Detroit series:
This series was decided at the end of Game 2, when LeBron James attacked the rim, drew contact from Richard Hamilton but wasn't awarded a foul. The Cavs were furious with the no-call, fled the court in anger and prepared to meet the media after going down 2-0. The coaches and players were irate, ready to rip the officials for failing to call a foul on the play and costing Cleveland the game.
Instead, general manager Danny Ferry and his assistant Lance Blanks took control of the situation, demanding from everyone that no excuses would be made. Hence, the quote from both Mike Brown and LeBron James: "We're a no-excuses team."
The Cavaliers gained strength from that moment. The message delivered to the press was as much meant for Cleveland's players as anyone. Refusing to blame the officials meant showing no signs of weakness. It meant building strength rather than allowing an internal excuse. By Game 3, the Cavs were unified, strong and ready to take on Detroit. That's when everything turned.
Big no-call, and no Cavalier complaints about it. What I like about it is that it's a long-term play. I'm a never-say-die guy, but I'm sure just about everyone agrees that this series is over. And the way the Cavaliers are playing it is by carrying forth a certain ethic. A way of doing business. That's about much more than Game 3, Game 4, or even this whole NBA Finals. That's about who LeBron James is, who the Cavaliers are, and what all that means for many years to come.
You never look past the Finals, right? You never count on getting back here at all. Plenty of great players have gone a long time, or even an entire career, without making it. Who thinks longer term than this?
A 22-year-old superstar who has plans to be back many times. Maybe it pays off next game. Maybe it pays off next year. Maybe it pays off next decade. Until further notice, however, that's how it's going to be, and I like it.
UPDATE: TrueHoop reader Pico emails the key observation of that last play: it's not about whether or not LeBron James would have made those free throws. It's about whether or not he would have taken that shot. Certain he was getting fouled, James rose up from well behind the three-point line for the possible four-point play. If he had not been expecting the whistle, he had time and room to get a MUCH cleaner look by taking another step, when he would have been all alone and in rhythm. Video, and more on the foul from ESPN's Chris Sheridan on the Daily Dime.
