Basketball Sucks

This is why, of the major professional sports, pro basketball is the worst. You name the sport and I could find a reason why it would be better than basketball. I am someone who can find something to appreciate in almost any sport, but often find it difficult in basketball.

Tonight was game three of the Nuggets and Mav's playoff series. With the Mav's being down 0-2 this was a critical game for them to win (I gave the Mav's no chance to win this series but at least hoped they wouldn't get swept). Anyway to get to the point of this post... with 6 seconds left the Nuggets have the ball down 2 points and the Mavs have a foul to give. What this means is that the Mavs can foul without sending the Nuggets to the freethrow line. So during the timeout before the start of the last 6 seconds, the "thank you captain obvious" announcers are pounding this point in to the audience as this is clearly what is about to happen. So the ultra sharp announers know it. The fans know it. The players know it. And I know it. Hmmmmmm. Someone should have told the zebras (referees).

The Nuggets inbound the ball to Melo. To make it even easier for the Mavs he bobbles the ball as he starts to dribble. As he regains control and stops his dribble the Mav player goes in with clear intent to foul. After CLEAR CONTACT from Melo's chest down to his forearms, the Mavrick player backs off with his hands up to claim the foul. Unfortuntly the ref, who is only inches away, chooses a bad time to blink and calls nothing and Melo shoots a uncontested 3 pointer to win the game.

Let me make myself clear at this point. I am not angry at this inept zebra... it's the sport itself I find that I can't stand. On the rare occasion that a game is so close that it comes down to the final play (and doesn't end in the ritual of the last 10 seconds getting stretched out for 10 minutes as the losing team repeatedly fouls in an attempt to make up an impossible 3 or more possession point difference) the game is always decided by a call or non call. This sport is impossible to officiate with any consistancy and in close games when it comes down to the last shot, the game will always be determined by whether or not the refs blow their whistle. I honestly wonder if they flip a coin before the game to decide their eternal question: to blow or not to blow?