However, there were two calls late in the game that could've swung it the Suns way. First was Kobe's dunk over Steve Nash. Now I hate when players take charges just to take charges (as Nash was doing here). But if you call those as charges, then call it a charge. I have no idea how this was called a block. Nash was set, outside the circle and beat Kobe to the spot. Kobe proceded to posterize Nash and drew the block.
(I have this thing about players taking charges simply to draw the foul- it isn't defense. It's drawing a foul, say what you will about the affectiveness of it, but it isn't defense. Ever see a guy draw a charge in a pickup game? No, why? Cause it isn't a good defensive move, it's just getting in someones way. The charge call is there to help the defenders from being bowled over. But it's now used as a cheap way to get a foul (see Jefferies, Jarred in Cavs-Wiz game 2 and Fisher, Derek in his entire career). Also, this has lead to flopping. While I loved Vlade Divac, this has to end. Stop the cheap charge calls, please).
The other call that stuck in my craw was actually a no-call. Late in the game, Kwame Brown lost the ball and basically ran over a guy (Raja Bell? Eddie House?) going after it. Brown took the Suns player out of the play, the Lakers recovered and scored. Doug Collins (I think) was surpised that Kwame wasn't called for a foul, but said the refs may have not called it because no one had possesion. Well, maybe I'm nuts, but what about "loose-ball foul"? I mean, that's what the call is there for, am I wrong?
Those were two HUGE plays that went the Lakers way. I'm not saying it was a David Stern special, but Joey Crawford was reffing (called Nash 'block') and if the Lakers lost they'd be down 2-0 in the one of the only exciting first round matchups (okay, maybe I am saying).
This isn't to excuse the Suns. They sucked, the Lakers beat them. But I'd be lying to say those two plays didn't bother me.
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