The final minutes of Game 5 of the NBA Finals were scheduled on the throw line. LeBron James threw three free throws in the final three minutes, while Jimmy Butler hit four in the final 47 seconds to give the Heat a season-saving win over the Lakers. Those calls – one on Anthony Davis, the other on Markiff Morris – did not sit well with Lakers coach Frank Vogel.
“I felt two bad calls put Butler in line,” Vogel said. “It’s unfortunate in this game of intensity. Anthony Davis also has a perfect ical. It should be a play. Before that time, Markif Morris’s ball was on the ball, it should be a play. He was given four free throws. And that could be a battle on the battlefield for us. I’m very disappointed with that aspect of the game. But our team is good. We’re going to bounce strong. We’ll have a good performance in Game 6. 48 minutes should play better. “
Is there an issue with that? Well, according to the league’s official last-minute report … kind of. Special quotes on Vogel’s two plays, the report poses by officiating on the floor. Davis play is a somewhat obvious foul, as he jumps into the butler instead of maintaining a pure ical. The report incorrectly states that “Davis (LAL) jumps from point A to point B and begins physical contact with Butler (MIA) during his driving shot attempt.” It’s a foul.
Morris’s play is a bit difficult to analyze in real time, but at first glance it looks like a foul. The report confirms that “Morris (LAL) contacts Butler (MIA) to the left after his reunion.”
However, Vogel missed a huge missed call that the report recognizes. With 28 seconds left and the Lakers trailing one by one, the report states that Andre Igudala violated a defensive three-second that was missed. Had that been said, the Lakers would have received a technical free throw that could potentially tie the game. They could then retain possession. In a tie game with little time left on the clock, the Lakers would probably have played for something like the final shot, changing the entire final game and possibly moving the game in their favor.
Another missed call was technically in favor of a heat down stretch. With 1:01 left on the clock, James missed an attempt on the basket after the fact that the league fouled Butler. However, it had no effect on the outcome of the non-call. James got his rebound and made a second attempt, so he would have been thrown two free, but the Lakers still got his two points.
The execution on the balance was exactly the same. Heat Sh 22 T22 Free Throw. The Lakers shot 21. And despite Igudala missing, the Lakers still had the ball in their final possession with a chance to win the game. The Rafs may not have favored him, but the ultimate possession failure is on his shoulders.
