this whole Blake Griffing destroyed Pau frenzy is just pissing me off

just read on rotoworld

I'm sorry, but this is just plain stupid. People everywhere are going nuts about how Blake dunked on Gasol twice. What he actually did was committing two extremely obvious offensive fouls. Yet, the refs didn't blow the whistle as they are obviously advised not to do so since Blake is the star who has to be on every top 10. This league is becoming less and less about basketball and more and more of a version of the Harlem Globetrotters. Just had to say it out loud, seeing how people going nuts over it, no one seems to actually care anyways.

He was over the no charge zone both times so you are really wrong about the offensive foul stuff.

On this one, I don't think Gasol has a very strong case. Why was he defending Griffin with his butt?




I can't tell if this one is a different dunk or just a different angle... but ouch.

The no-charge circle doesn't apply to what happened on that second dunk. Griffin clearly committed an offensive foul on that play.

Griffin's dunk rep is already in place..it's to late for refs to call anything now. Just like they didn't call travels on MJ in the 80's or Kobe, Rose, Lebron and Wade now as they all get to tuck the ball under their arms and travel from the FT line to hoop without ever being called for a travel.

This is the same dunk from the one above, but it is the dunk that happen later in the game that caused the folks to go crazy..

I think this is a bit of a misrepresentation of the rules. People talk alot about Lebron etc travelling in the NBA, but we have to keep in mind that these are not FIBA rules. The NBA rules state that steps only count when the player is in control of the ball. A lot of the time these players are drawing contact on their first step and thus still having two to go.

I assume you are talking about an off the ball foul for over the back I believe he gets possession of the ball before he makes contact with Gasol.

I think he got lucky, but if we are going perfectionist, then it is a bit of a coin toss.

On a side note, I hate the guy. I think he is a total wanker, and don't even think he is that good of a player. He can't play defense, and couldn't stroke a shot if his life depended on it. His free throw shooting is rubbish as well.

Blake Griffin is the definition of overhyped. As Panda pointed out, his defense sucks and FT shooting is nearly Shaq-esque. His preening and stare downs are disgusting. I just plain hate the guy. And I'd argue at least one of those "highlight plays" would be called an offensive foul on any other player as well, but not on Stern's favorite highlight maker. I'd love to see him get exposed in the playoffs.

Very few players take more punishment than LeBron and Griffin as they attack the rim, the judges should certainly not be more leanient but even harsher against the players who constantly foul them in the air. It's time to start issuing the flagrant 2 for real.

We are all witnesses!

I thought that if Stern really liked you........the endorsement money would always be there.

so ellbow-slams are allowed there? And over the back does not exist there? Sorry, but if that's the rules, it's even worse; than it's not bad calls by the refs but bad rules which makes it even worse. I love basketball, I like dunks, but there should be a limit or otherwise at some point JaVale McGee will become the league's leading scorer...
especially the 2nd dunk btw was outside the circle, or is the question as to where the defender is??

Just because the defender is inside the circle, that doesn't give the offensive player the right to put his hand on the defender's neck and use him for leverage as he goes up for the dunk. That was an easy call that the officials simply blew.

of course :D
I just asked if the question basically is whether the defender or the offensive player is there

I figured you understood. Many people don't understand the exact purpose of the semi-circle, though.

I thought the semi-circle was the 3 point arc for Ben Wallace...

I don't know if you have ever dunked a basketball but when I jump off two feet for my right hand my left will generally swing down and away. I'm not making excuses for the guy, but I hardly think that he deliberately elbowed Pau. That, combined with a late jump into contact by Gasol, in my eyes, makes it kind of his fault - but more of a wrong place wrong time kinda thing anyway.

I have already addressed the over the back. From memory he takes control of the ball before he makes body contact with Pau. If this is true, then its no foul.

Pau jumps into him. Its a defensive foul regardless of his elbow placement. I'm not defending the guy. I just don't like the bandwagon rants without a whole heap of basis. Plus what the hell does he need leverage for? The guy has a 38"+ vert. He don't need help getting up.

I played this guy the other week, little dude. He got 4 fast breaks of steals. Now I'm not super athletic, but reasonably quick and I got a decent leap for a white guy. 3 in a row I block the **** out of him against the backboard on his turd little layups. On the fourth I get called for contact. There was a little, didn't alter the shot, but I wasn't too fussed. Anyway, he starts staring me down and beating his chest. I found my friends grumpy labrador puppy more intimidating.

If I ever defended Blake and got dunked on, I would be totally cool with it. Because I knew that he bricked about 10 15 footers in the build up to his one 2 point play. Thats not impressive, that's embarrassing. If your only tool in basketball is vertical leap, then you are a chump.

If you watch the replay, Blake clearly leads with his left hand and smacks Pau in the face.

I'm not fans of either guy, but I understand the rules of the game.

then watch it again.
By the way, I'm no Blake hater; I actually enjoy watching him. But only because he's the best dunker right now should not render him immune from getting calls, regardless how fancy a dunk may have looked. A foul is a foul, no matter if committed by Damien Wilkins or Blake.

When I dunk off of 2 feet, I usually lay waste to my opponents as well. So, I'm sympathetic to Griffin in this one.