Chris Paul is smart. Maybe too smart. And in the Rockets’ 117-102 comeback win over the Knicks on Saturday, his basketball I.Q. yet again went unrewarded.
Chris Paul never gets this foul call, and one day it could hurt the Rockets
This is definitely a shooting foul, so why isn’t CP3 at the foul line?
Paul was pushing the ball in transition and felt Jarrett Jack coming for an intentional foul. He deftly got the ball up and attempted a half-court shot milliseconds before Jack fouled him. Paul was not given free throws despite the clear call.
As it turned out, Houston didn’t need the three foul shots. They went on to blowout New York, turning a 22-point deficit into a 23-point lead and an eventual 15-point win at home.
But that’s a shooting foul no matter how you slice it
Paul rarely ever gets that call. During his tenure in Los Angeles, Paul would shoot near half-court threes just as teams intentionally fouled DeAndre Jordan, a career 43-percent foul shooter. Occasionally, Paul would make those deep threes. In those instances, the Clippers should get three points plus Jordan at the foul line.
Referees rarely, if ever, gave Paul those points.
CP3 even got upset when Jordan didn’t shoot the ball before the Trail Blazers could intentionally foul him.
The NBA Referees Association made a point of emphasis of contact and continuation over the summer, taking steps to ensure players are actually in the shooting motion when being fouled to get free throws. But Paul was visibly in the act of shooting when Jack fouled him, yet no free throws were awarded.
This isn’t an end-all be-all no-call. Not all guards make heady plays like Paul moments before getting fouled in transition. But all shooting foul calls should be made somewhat equal, and this one is on the outside looking in.
This time, the points weren’t a difference-maker. The Rockets still ran the score up before settling for a 15-point win. But what happens when that no-call costs a team a game?
We don’t want to find out.
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