Erick Blasco

I apologize to BeeZee. I was wrong in the NBA timing rule, not him.

So you're evaluating a referee based on not calling technical fouls? Of the three techs in the clips, the Duncan situation was obviously an embarrassing situation, Perkins probably cursed or said something that Crawford took offense too, and he felt that K-Mart made a dirty move on Varejao. The Duncan incident happened a few years ago, yet it's the only thing people associate him with, and every other mistake he makes is simply piling on. Refs do have a right to not let players show them up. Does Crawford get the calls right between the court, that Reggie Miller says is the most important part of officiating? Yeah, for the most part he actually does. And what excuses am I making on the Nash call? I said it was clearly a horrendous call.

Again, did Crawford call the foul because he tackled Jones, or did he call a foul on Billups for reaching in before Crawford collided with Jones? He's not calling a foul simply because he ran into Damon Jones.

Goodness, I'm being countered by incorrect rules: So clip 3, you're categorically wrong. Clip 2, does anyone have a better resolution to that video, or the circumstances? K-Mart himself has always been known to be volatile, that also is taken into account with the call. Most people with knowledge of how K-Mart plays wouldn't be shocked if he took a dirty shot at someone. Clip 1, For some reason, I can't view Youtube at my school computer, but do you really think Crawford called a foul on Billups because Crawford pushed Jones, or did Crawford call a reach in foul on Billups before the push?

Clip 1, it looks like he's trying to stop and can't and pushes Jones out of bounds. When a player crashes into a ref does everyone scream at the player? Nothing in the first clip shows that Crawford can't referee, it only shows that he had a clumsy moment. Clip 2, From that awful resolution, if Crawford thought K-Mart tried to elbow Varejao in the neck, he has every right to throw him out of the game. Either way, it's a foul. Clip 3, 0.3 is what has been determined the least amount of time acceptable to catch and shoot. The ball was out of Redick's hands as the light went on. Not only is that not a bad call, but it's an excellent call. Clip 4, a bad call. Perkins went straight up. There's now video evidence of Crawford being clumsy, and angry, but only two clips of him making bad calls. Does he need to chill out? Yeah. But can he ref a game? Much better than anyone will give him credit for. This isn't Dick Bavetta, or Violet Palmer, or Danny Crawford, or every single NCAA ref. Does Joey Crawford need to do a better job at times? Sure, all refs not named Steve Javie could be much much better. All players not named LeBron could be much much better too. People dismiss Crawford because of his quick whistle. It's like dismissing the defense Rasheed Wallace played in Detroit because he got T'd up a lot.

One shows his temper getting the best of him when he T'd up Duncan---a decision that had nothing to do with the game itself. The second video is conveniently edited so there is no full speed video of the entire sequence. Maybe he couldn't stop himself going full speed? Either way, there's nothing that shows Crawford making an incorrect basketball decision---only two clips that show him being comically ill-tempered. A sniper doesn't use judgment, he simply follows an order or carries out his mission. A better analogy would be something like, would you want Crawford as a judge at your trial. So long as I don't laugh at him or look at him incorrectly, he'd probably do a better job than you.

I'm not joking. It's a terrible call, but by showing one clip of an atrocious call and insinuating that Joey Crawford is this awful referee because of one call made in one game is a little silly. Most of the problems with Joey Crawford don't come from his reffing ability but his ultra quick fuse where he'll T people up for looking at him crookedly (or laughing)---which isn't necessarily a positive statement about him, but it has nothing to do with his ability to officiate violations of the game and what not. Everyone is quick to jump on the referees when they make mistakes. Here's a question. Are there any good referees out there? I bet according to most fans there aren't any, or they'll simply rattle of refs that don't have big names simply because those refs haven't been known to make big mistakes in important games. One of these days, I'll take one or two of the videos I have and simply go through the foul calls and judge which were good calls and which were bad calls. But I'm not going to make blanket statements and throw Joey Crawford under the bus simply because it's the cool thing to do.

He has a temper problem. What does that have to do with calls made on the court?

It's a horrendous call, but since we're trashing individuals for isolated mistakes, let's ask why Wesley Matthews and Marcus Camby are still in this league for missing dunks, why Dorell Wright is still in the league for horrendous defense on Paul Pierce in Game 3, why Kyle Korver is still in this league for only shooting 1-5 the other day, and why Birdman is in the league for getting pushed around by the Jazz. Do you have evidence to more missed calls Crawford committed to indicate potential bias or incompetence?

lol, I'll chalk it up to the Celtics beating the Heat so badly, your head is spinning!

Let's see who has come closest to predicting which teams would win the first round in how many games. Poe: 0 Direct hits (As of right now, only someone who predicted a Magic sweep has a direct hit), 6 impossibilities, 2 in play. Cleveland's Finest: 0 direct hits, 3 impossibilities, 5 in play. Uhh..Infinite?: 0 direct hits, 6 impossibilities, 2 in play. DaBearFan: 1 Direct Hit! 6 impossibilities, 1 in play. Me: 0 Direct Hits, 4 impossibilities, 4 in play. So far, I think Cleveland's Finest has done the best job. Meanwhile, Poe and Infinite thinking the Magic would be pushed to six+ games looks weak.

The Heat run clearouts for Beasley because its the only thing he knows how to do well, and they run post ups for O'Neal. Sometimes they post Q-Rich, and they used to run curls for Cook. What do you want them to do, post Udonis Haslem? Isolate Joel Anthony at the wing? Chalmers' handle is too shaky to iso or screen/roll for, and Arroyo isn't talented. Wright is a broken play player. These stop gap point guards aren't difference makers, go get a rea lpoint guard, the Heat will have the cash for it.

lol, you've had terrible luck with your posts this postseason.

After a dismal performance in Game Three, it was interesting to see how the Denver Nuggets would approach Game Four in order to steal a road win and recapture control of their first round series with the Utah Jazz. However, aside from a too-little, too-late rally when Utah let its guard down—a near disaster given Denver’s ability to score in a broken field—the Nuggets were once again throttled in a gutless performance, 117-106. Denver actually started off the game with several offensive tweaks designed to create more room for Carmelo Anthony to operate. Middle screen/rolls put pressure on Kyrylo Fesenko to make aggressive shows, or stay in front of Melo’s drives, something the youngster had nary a prayer of achieving. Denver also used a weak-side split cut that freed up Melo for an open layup. Aside from these tweaks designed to get Melo away from situations where Utah’s defenders could anticipate his drives and coax offensive fouls, the Nuggets let Aaron Afflalo attack off the dribble and draw a foul to start the game. These were signs that the Nuggets weren’t going to play as passively as they did in Game Three, and that Carmelo was going to find different ways to attack the basket aside from setting up on either elbow where the Jazz had preplanned strategies to shade or double him. After blitzing off to an early 18-11 lead, perhaps the Nuggets had come to play. Perhaps not. After the initial few minutes, Denver settled back into their predictable iso routines for the rest of the game, with several screen/rolls thrown in for show. The split and diagonal cuts tapered off, and the Nuggets again settled into playing one-on-one basketball. One-on-one basketball never works in the playoffs unless individuals have heroic performances. Unfortunately, too many Nuggets were complete no-shows. Kenyon Martin would like to think he’s a defensive bully, but he had his lunch money stolen from him by Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap, et all. Pushed around under the basket, absent in his help, and 1-5 on his mid-range straight line jumpers, K-Mart continued a history of being all talk on the road. Nene is another player who failed his manhood test, registering only three shot attempts in almost 40 minutes of play, and missing half of his 12 free throws. Whereas in the initial three games of the series, Carlos Boozer would spend his time above the free throw line popping mid range jumpers, he spent Game Four taking the ball right into Nene’s chest whether posting on the right block, or on quick spinning drives from either elbow—neither of which Nene had any answer for. Like Martin, Nene’s interior rotations were poor and he was a non-factor on the offensive end of the court. The Nuggets wisely curtailed Chris Andersen’s minutes, as his high flying theatrics are useless when an offensive player takes the ball into his chest. Indeed Utah’s gladiators have turned Birdzilla into Mother Goose. Carmelo Anthony did most of his damage very early or too late. He was also the victim of two bogus calls against him, a questionable double foul with Carlos Boozer (which should have been a no-call), and a flop job by Deron Williams when Melo turned and made minimal contact. Still, Melo was so flustered by Utah’s pressure on him and well-timed rotations that he missed five layups, and committed nine turnovers—many of them unforced. While he finished with 39 points, for most of the game, Melo was just another mistake player. After J.R. Smith’s fourth quarter barrage to open the series, Jerry Sloan has him shadowed wherever he goes. The Jazz don’t help off of Smith when doubling elsewhere, and go over the top of all screens to prevent him from finding open three-point looks. With the Nuggets unable to get enough stops to attack in transition, and without the Jazz affording Smith with open looks, he lost composure and simply fired away without discretion—3-11 FG, 10 PTS. Johan Petro overran Boozer when trying to recover to him, and missed a jumper, his only notably plays in three minutes. Afflalo scored on broken plays but he missed his open jumpers—0-3 3FG. Chauncey Billups couldn’t overpower Deron Williams and subsequently get to the free throw line offensively. Defensively, like everyone else, he had trouble guarding Williams. Instead of providing quiet leadership, Billups was just quiet. Ty Lawson was the only Nugget who played with spunk, but he’s so overmatched by Williams at the other end of the court, he was mercifully switched onto Wesley Matthews towards the end of the game. With how Utah’s flex creates opportunities to post and seal down low, Lawson is at a permanent disadvantage in the game except against Ronnie Price. Unfortunately for Denver, Adrian Dantley doesn’t appear able to rouse the team from its collective malaise. Judging by the team’s slumped shoulders, slow reaction times, and disinterested faces, the Nuggets have already given up on the series. Meanwhile for the Jazz, it was business as usual. Screens, cuts, fans, and seals put the Jazz’ players in prime scoring opportunities. Indeed, Utah registered assists on 24 of their 41 field goals and shot over 50% from the field. Only Steve Nash is in Williams’ class of vision and passing, and while Chris Paul is equally as elusive, Williams’ has the threat of finishing through you, as opposed to around you, a much more physically and psychologically potent method of destruction. He had complete mastery of his team’s offense—and the Nuggets’ defense—6-14 FG, 2-5 3FG, 10-12 FT, 4 REB, 13 AST, 2 TO, 24 PTS. Boozer had the range on his mid-range springers, and his quick drives into the paint punished Denver’s tardy rotations. If Matthews and C.J. Miles couldn’t connect from downtown, they were active along the baseline and on curls into the paint, and sank their two point jumpers. Kyrylo Fesenko was late inside, decided to close out on Nene at the three-point line inviting a blow by layup, and missed three layups. But simply by the nature of his massive size and forcefulness he had an impact—6 PTS, 2 BLK. Indeed, Fesenko may be the second coming of Greg Ostertag. For the Jazz, they’d be best served to wrap this series up as quickly as possible. With the Thunder and Lakers engaged in a tooth-and-nail struggle of their own, a quick turnaround against a fresh Jazz team and its efficiency and physicality may allow them to a steal a game they otherwise would have no business winning. For the Nuggets, as they’ve gone belly up, they’re now faced with the truth that to advance, they’ll have to win a Game Six in Utah. Whether or not they believe they can actually win there will determine how much fire they come out with in Game Five. The NBA Playoffs. Where not trusting in yourself happens.

I gotta break up this love fest... 1-9 FG, 4 PTS.

The thing with Kobe, it was one of the problems with Jordan with the Wizards, he seems too demanding where if you make mistakes, he'd probably crush your psyche. Duncan might not have the personality to coach, and Miller is too introverted. I'd say Nash, Ginobili, Ray Allen, Grant Hill, and Kevin Ollie.

Will keep that in mind for next time. And I honestly think this series is a toss up. I have no clue who will emerge. My safe assumption is that the Nuggets won't be able to win in Utah, so I'll go with the Jazz in 6.

The Utah Jazz’s 105-93 Game Three victory over the Denver Nuggets was revealing in the truths unveiled by each participant with one caveat—the 12 point final score was an untruth in that Utah was much more dominant than the Nuggets after the game’s initial 10 minutes. Truth: Paul Millsap eviscerated the Denver Nuggets Reason: Because Utah had so much success running screen/fades with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer in Game Two, Denver had to tweak their defense for Game Three with Denver trapping Williams’ high screen/rolls and keeping a body near Boozer along the perimeter. As a result, Millsap was often able to duck in or work the baseline against single coverage. Truth: Utah’s execution generated innumerable open looks at the basket. Reason: Paul Millsap took it right at Chris Andersen and Kenyon Martin with maximum success, while Kyrylo Fesenko was on the finishing end of several interior dunks and layups. This isn’t any kind of surprise. Kenyon Martin is a dog who tucks his tail between his legs when an opponent barks back, and Chris Andersen’s flimsy defense is useless against Utah’s muscle men. Truth: Deron Williams made Ty Lawson his personal whipping boy. Reason: Lawson is too puny to contend with Williams in the post or in a broken field, too weak to stay on Williams’ hip around screens, and too short to contest his jumpers. Truth: Only Chauncey Billups or well-coordinated help can slow down Williams Reason: Williams outmuscled Aaron Afflalo into constant foul trouble, and J.R. Smith would be mesmerized by Williams’ hypnotic crossover. Truth: Weak side curls involving Kyle Korver always generated a good look in the first half, either for Korver himself, or for the screen-setter rotating to the basket Reason: Smith too frequently lost contact with Korver, and Denver’s interior rotations were late, faulty, or non-existent. Plus, credit Korver for his passing and decision making. Truth: Utah generated 27 assists on their 39 baskets Reason: Utah seldom relies on isos, and their myriad of screens, cuts, rolls, and fades puts enormous pressure on a defense to be aware defensively. Too bad for Denver, the Nuggets’ frontcourt played in a coma. Truth: Wesley Matthews made Denver pay for leaving him open. Reason: Matthews is a solid defender and a much better shooter than the departed Ronnie Brewer. Matthews’ shooting provides more spacing for Utah to execute. Truth: Carlos Boozer only scored 18 points on 6-18 FG. Reason: Nene and Martin are quick enough to negate Boozer in the post, and the Nuggets kept a defender close to Boozer on the perimeter to take away his jumper. In truth, Boozer was little more than a fadeaway jump shooter, and has been effective for only one of the six halves played in the series. Truth: Carmelo Anthony had a relatively tame performance—11-21 FG, 3-4 FT, 25 PTS. Reason: Because Carmelo Anthony picked up so many offensive fouls in Game Two, he was more timid to attack the basket in Game Three, settling for outside jump shots. While ‘Melo was far too big and strong for Matthews and C.J. Miles, Utah mixed its defensive coverages up on Anthony—straight up single teams, a big man sliding into the strong side box, a double on the move coming from the weak side, and multiple defenders checking him, including Williams. As the game wore on, Melo grew increasingly impatient with how the game was playing out, and picked up three turnovers in a disastrous third quarter. Truth: Denver got nothing out of its frontcourt. Reason: Nene and Martin mentally checked out of the game when Paul Millsap checked in, and Andersen’s disappearing act against a disciplined, physical opponent is simply par for the course. Truth: The Nuggets were beaten back in transition time and again—even after made baskets Reason: Denver too easily loses focus of the task at hand, and awards opponents too many gifts. Truth: Smith was nowhere to be found Reason: With the exception of Kyle Korver losing touch of Smith on an early three, the Jazz made sure not to help off of Smith, or to rotate back on to him if helping off of him. Also, screens involving Smith were hedged preventing Smith from finding open looks. Without a feast of open threes to fuel his fire, Smith was a non-factor. Truth: Lawson was repeatedly able to get to the basket against Williams Reason: Lawson is far too fleet for Williams to handle. Since substituting eliminates the matchup advantage Williams has when he possesses the ball, Utah needs to be more cognizant in walling off the paint in early offense to prevent Lawson’s speedy drives. Truth: Denver only recorded 12 assists on 31 baskets. Reason: Denver is very much an isolation offense that relies on the prodigious one-on-one abilities of many of their players. This is fine over the regular season when teams have limited scouting time to prepare for Denver’s explosive talent. This was also the case in Game One. However, as series’ move on, coaches and players begin to get more and more familiar with what a player likes and doesn’t like to do, and what a team does and doesn’t do well and can gameplan accordingly. Already the subtle adjustments of not leaving Smith, varying coverages on Melo, and digging in on isolations have paid off for the Jazz. Truth: Denver didn’t receive any favors from the referees Reason: The Jazz always get the benefit of calls or non-calls on their home arena. On a subtler level, teams that execute, and are aggressive are much more likely to get the benefit of calls than teams that are passive and reactionary. Truth: The Nuggets don’t believe in themselves Reason: Dantley doesn’t have the charisma or personality to impress such a volatile collection of players. As the second half wore on, the Nuggets were disinterested in the game, and only interested in moping on the sideline. Truth: Utah is much crisper without Mehmet Okur Reason: Okur is a plodder who is too slow to provide any impact defensively. Fesenko is just as cumbersome, but he’s enormous and takes up more space. Millsap is strong, athletic, and covers more ground as a helper. Plus, both Millsap and Fesenko are better finishers under the basket than Okur. Truth: Despite not playing without Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, or home court advantage, the Jazz are leading the series two games to one. Reason: You’ll never find a Jerry Sloan-coached team feeling sorry for itself or playing without heart. Truth: The series is nowhere close to being over. Reason: Despite being down two games to one, the Nuggets have the better collection of individual players than the Jazz by a wide margin. A few adjustments here and then, and a gutsier performance by more players and the Nuggets will have recaptured the magic. However, if Denver can’t break its bad habits, the supposed truth that the Nuggets were the biggest threat to the Lakers out West will be exposed as a blatant lie.

I doubt many people watching this play immediately jumped up and said, "Wow great coaching by Phil Jackson!" (I didn't, I didn't even watch the game), but it's an example of a great job by LA's coaching staff of recognizing what's going on late and taking away one of OKC's pet plays late. http://nbaplaybook.com/2010/04/21/the-lakers-defend-a-thunder-go-to-play-perfectly/#more-1937

I guess you value 30 point playoff shellackings. Do you want "potential" when your best player is in win-now mode, or do you want to trade Beasley for a player who can help you now when there's no guarantee Beasley will ever put things together. Beasley's name has more value than his game. Why do you care about his cheap contract when the Heat will be about 1 billion, zillion, gazillion dollars under the cap. Here's something Heat fans don't really realize. Beasley has talent, but he isn't anything special. What are you going to do when his contract expires and you still aren't sure what you've got? Let him walk for nothing. Resign him on hope? He has value. Use it.

Down 26 points in a non-competitive road playoff game? Is this the thread where people campaign for Nate McMillan's firing?

This is Wright's first year in the spotlight so let him grow through his mistakes. Beasley will command offers, if the Heat keep Wade, then he should be traded for whoever wants a young scorer on a rookie contract (everybody). If Wade leaves, maybe Beasley could be built around...the Heat have flexibility either way. O'Neal's only a contract, as are all of Miami's veterans. O'Neal was only traded to Miami because he had one year longer on his contract than Shawn Marion, and Miami wanted all its cap space this summer, not last summer. Aside from Wade, Miami only has Beasley, Daequan Cook, and Mario Chalmers (they'd be crazy not to exercise his team option at under a million bucks). Haslem will probably be brought back too if he's cheap enough, but the rest of the roster is free game. Miami doesn't care about this season. That's why guys like O'Neal, Quentin Richardson, and Carlos Arroyo are on this team. They're veterans who can fill in for a year, and whose contracts all expire this summer. Spoelstra took these stopgaps to a 5 seed.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199205170CHI.html Chicago 110---New York 81 And for another good coach whose team had a really bad day in a playoff game against Boston: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200806170BOS.html Good thing this guy wasn't fired after that loss. When Michael Beasley learns to play basketball and the Heat get second options who are better than Jermaine O'Neal, the Heat will be fine. Spoelstra's taken a team of scrubs to the playoffs. Get rid of him, go bring in some mediocre coach (Jay Triano, Mike Dunleavy, etc), and learn the difference between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers. It's really, really, fricking hard to win road playoff games when your team is overmatched by the opponent as the Milwaukee Bucks are finding out right now. I'm sure firing Skiles is their answer too right? So chill out, wait till the summer when a gazzillion dollars comes off Miami's cap, realize that Spoelstra coached garbage to a 5 seed and will probably have a MUCH better roster next year if Wade stays and the Heat sign (Bosh/Bron/etc), and then realize that the Heat haven't played a home game yet this playoffs. This is the playoffs---it's the coach's fault that the players aren't motivated? If Beasley and O'Neal can't get motivated for the playoffs, it says a lot about them as individuals, not the coach.

There are reasons for that though. Deron Williams played assertive defense the entire night. Denver didn't bother rotating out to Carlos Boozer at the elbow over the first 30 minutes and he gashed them. Plus, Denver didn't bother rotating after the first rotation. So Utah would drive, someone would move over, and then Denver would pass and the next guy was wide open. Two of Melo's offensive fouls were blatant shoulders into Utah's chests, the other was a backdown where Williams fell down. I'm not totally 100% sure on the rule of backdowns, but it looked like a non-foul on Melo. If someone backs you down and you fall, it shouldn't be the offensive player's fault for showing off his guns. There was also a lot of contact at the rim on Melo, which threw off his game. Utah didn't rotate off of Smith as often as they did in Game One, and he never got untracked. Korver knocked down his open looks. Give him credit for performing his role exceptionally well.

And there could've been a lot more. The Jazz gave little bumps to Melo on nearly every drive and he really lost his concentration. Utah fouls a lot, Utah draws a lot of fouls, and Denver draws a lot of fouls. Welcome to the playoffs. Really exciting second half once Denver decided to try to play defense. They have better players---Korver's shooting really bailed out the Jazz.