The matchup between the Heat and Pacers on Wednesday night was as great as expected, but it may have been marred by what looked to be a pretty egregious no-call at the end of the game.
Was Paul George fouled at end of Heat-Pacers game?
LeBron James made significant contact on Paul George’s game-tying attempt, but no call was made.
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
More: Indy Cornrows Hot Hot Hoops
With the Pacers down by three points in the closing seconds, Paul George received a pass at the top of the arc and raised up for a potential game-tying three. But as he went into his shooting motion, LeBron James put his hands on the hips of the Pacers' forward from behind and his left hand remained on George's side through the shot. The attempt was off the mark, and Indiana immediately reacted to the officials swallowing their whistles.
There were obviously other factors that led to the Heat's 97-94 win, though, and Indy Cornrows had an objective, smart reaction to the final play:
It looks like James got away with one, but it’s difficult to put yourself at the mercy of the officials to bail out what was necessary thanks to a pitiful turnover on the previous possession. Officials can shift the outcome of a game, but they can’t decide the outcome of a game, and tonight’s was an example of that. While the officials missed the call, it wasn’t as if the Pacers didn’t just blow an eight point lead and score just four points in that final stretch. So despite the missed call, Miami put themselves in position to win where Indiana did not, and it proved to be a decision that favored Miami in that regard.
Regardless of what appeared to be a ‘miss’ on the part of the referees, it was a heck of a game and the likes of which we hope to see more of as the season winds down and the playoffs begin.
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