Colin has always been anti “blame the refs” guy, but when the refs reversed a Kevin Durant charge to a blocking call on LeBron on replay with 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter of NBA Finals Game 1, he couldn’t believe what was happening.
Citing a rule that permitted a review to determine if LeBron James’s feet were outside of the restricted circle on the called charge, the officials then used another provision in the rule to reverse the call from a charge on Durant to a block on James.
Instead of the Cavs leading by two with 35 seconds left and possession, Durant hit two free throws to tie the game. The rest is history and J.R. Smith. Colin biggest beef is with the officials deciding to reverse a go-either-way call at a monumental moment on basketball’s biggest stage when even retired official Steve Javie – working on the broadcast – said it was too close to call. It would be like NFL refs deciding the Super Bowl by going to replay to call pass interference.
In the end, the call completely changed the complexion of the game – and possibly the series – and left a black eye on one of the best Finals openers ever and it’s a shame. Instead of talking about the players, today everyone is talking about the refs.
The NBA got it wrong here, and it cost the Cavs the game.