[Lowlight] Flagrant 1 called on Brunson for reckless closeout
I don’t know about that one boss
Brunson never even crossed the 3 point line. Horrible call made even worse by giving it a flagrant.
It’s annoying but it is the rule. If the defender moves forward into the landing area (and moving forward on a 3pt is a very natural shooting motion) then it’s considered reckless. Now you can argue the rule is too harsh but I understand the call.
Yeah, blame Bruce Bowen not the refs. He was trying to end careers.
What about when Wemby did it later though lol. No call
Holy shit I did not expect to see a level headed knicks fan in the comments. I agree with you it’s the rule, and by definition it does fall under it for a flagrant.
The NBA can thank Kawhi Leonard and Zaza Pachulia for this rule. (Also Bruce Bowen did this ALL THE GOD DAMN TIME TOO.)
Too bad the rule didn’t apply when Wemby did it to Hart
NBA should really release instructional demonstration videos on how to guard these shots under playoff intensity. Like I’m just curious on how to even play defense properly at this point.
That is irrelevant. Natural shooting motion from three can land inside the three point line.
True but he closed out with his feet to the sides. Not reckless
His feet are too his own sides, but his left foot is directly in front of where the shooter jumps from. Also doesn’t help that Brunson lands with his back to the shooter, that doesn’t exactly make it look like he’s in control
Its not about reckless, its about being in the landing area which he is.
100% agreed, its pretty clearly a foul but calling that a flagrant is just head-scratching.
They are cracking down on this type of foul in particular due to its capacity for major injuries. It’s a flagrant every single time
Yeah if you are surprised by this call, you don’t watch games. This has been called a F1 every single time this year if the shooter lands on the defender and falls.
Not surprised that the casuals are surprised. Literally I have not seen this not called a flagrant 1 the entire season. It’s the easiest call to predict and probably the only verdict that has been consistent amongst all teams, all refs and in every game
If it was a foul, then it is a flagrant by the rule. If you foul a shooter only by stepping into their landing space on a closeout, that’s a flagrant. The reckless part is based on where you are standing, not how in control of your body you are. Whether the rule makes sense is a different debate, but this was called correctly here by the rule.
I think your disagreement is with the interpretation the refs are told to use, rather than the actual call. I ref FIBA and our interpretations tell us that landing spot fouls should generally be assumed to be unsportsmanlike (the FIBA “flagrant” equivalent) fouls.
The rule is busted if you constantly have to think about where the offensive player is going to land in whatever warped version of a natural shooting motion lands them 2 ft inside the arc. Unless they are genuinely not allowing them to land I don’t wanna hear it. This only ever gets called at the 3 point line too all because steph got hurt one time while they let dozens of more dangerous plays slide.
The rule basically says defenders have to close out as if it’s pre-game warmup. That or do the matador move
I mean, I would say that turning your back and not making any effort to avoid getting in the way is a problem. It’s a careless disregard for the potential to cause harm.
I’d like to see the three point line thickened to include a landing zone. If the player lands in that zone, a flagrant is possible. If not, no flagrant and no review. Maybe 8”?
This is actually a fantastic idea imo
Doesn’t really work if they’re further behind the line tho
Called this way all season
Why is there a no natural shooting motion for layups and dunks?
never even crossed the 3 point line
Is that stipulated in the rulebook or something
It’s not the most consistent, call, but it’s usually a flagrant if the shooter foot lands on the defender.
A similar example from earlier in the playoffs: https://official.nba.com/archive/review-of-called-foul-timberwolves-nuggets-5/
landing space is landing space
blaze zaza
1000% a flagrant
NBA rules blow on this
He’s clearly in his landing space…easy call.
Gotta give em room just gotta be more cautious game 4
Bro whattttttt?!
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Long term tho this is the type of shit that turns people off the sport. And I’m just saying they should make it more subtle if they wanna do it lol. I get why they’re rigging
Surely no capitalist enterprise has been destroyed by short term thinking over long term investment!
they know u wont stop watching lol
Long term tho this is the type of shit that turns people off the sport.
It was now 19 years ago when Tim Donaghy was arrested for fixing games.
Not only did the league let a ref who was very likely working with him keep working for them they actually had him ref a game in this series.
Great example of how 90% of fan outrage is just not knowing the rules. And it’s amplified when the TV announcers don’t know the rules, too.
Same call on a similar play from earlier in the playoffs.
Shooters are allowed to jump forward, which is an extremely natural thing to do while shooting. If you move into the shooter’s landing zone, and the shooter’s foot lands on you, you’re probably getting a flagrant.
Yeah. I am puzzled reading through this thread. That is how they have called it all season and postseason.
If you call this a flagrant, you have to call the Castle hit a flagrant. Not to mention give wemby one after the game.
And Hart landed on Wemby’s foot later but no reckless close out
It sounds hypocritical from a Thunder fan but wemby clearly has a different whistle for the shit he does. It’s like watching Draymond in his prime getting away with his antics.
He’s thrown like 4 guys and none of them are called
Wemby deserved one. The castle one absolutely wasn’t a flagrant.
I don’t agree. Stared him down and trucked him with a forearm. No attempt to go around or avoid contact. Plus it’s a pattern of behaviour by the spurs.
He definitely ran through Brunson but Brunson flopped big time not a flagrant imo
I mean you’re gonna hate it but this is definitely a foul lol takes that close out jump right into him…
The rest of the shit is bs tho.
Refs been at it since game 2 lol, they tried to even the series in game 2 and they’re trying extra hard this game, it’s so gross man
It shouldn’t be a flagrant but you can’t be sticking your leg out into the general landing zone
This is definitely a foul but not a flagrant 1.
I don’t think it’s flagrant, but I still think it’s a foul for sticking his leg in the landing zone m
He already did the right thing by jumping straight up, why he had to get in the landing zone I don’t get it
Yes there was a foul, declaring that a hostile act is insane
It’s the kawhi rule from 2017. By definition it’s reckless to undercut a players legs like that
Turning away from it makes it even reckless er
rule isn’t a “hostile” act, but rather “reckless” closeout. it’s different to other flagrant fouls.
basically, if you aren’t actively ensuring that there is landing space for the shooter, it is assessed a flagrant by the rules. this call is pretty much by the books what it exists for. there’s a valid argument against that rule existing in that way, but it is how it is.
It’s not a subjective call. This specific penalty is always a flagrant. You cannot place your foot in the landing zone of a player taking a shot, intentional or not. Brunson is a spectacular player, he should have the awareness to avoid this.
if that play qualified for a foul it’s automatically upgraded to a flagrant 1.
I don’t think it’s flagrant, but I still think it’s a foul for sticking his leg in the landing zone
That is a flagrant by definition because it’s dangerous.
A foul for sticking a leg in the landing zone is a flagrant by the rules. That’s what’s considered a reckless closeout. It’s wat Zaza did to Kawhi in the playoffs, and has been a flagrant ever since.
Imagine this is Zaza
Thats a flagrant every time lol
Wemby grabs him by the neck and tries to throw him to the floor and not even a common foul.
I never, ever think this… but this one really felt like a pro wrestling match at times
I mean the fact that the playoffs have had more ref mentions than players doing things is why this sport is trending downwards.
Trending downwards?
The NBA Playoffs are delivering their highest viewership in 33 years, with an average of 3.91 million viewers per game across ABC, ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Amazon Prime Video.
Knicks effect baby
Yup. I knew it going in. NBA needs a few more games.
Well yes because the refs were instructed to keep the series alive.
just because they missed one call doesnt mean they should miss others to compensate lmao
this is, in fact, a belief many hold. not saying you have to agree with it
but ‘let em play/swallow the whistle’ is definitely a thing when it comes to physical play the later you get into the season. i think people would just like to see that applied consistently, in either direction
the nature of having a penalty designated as ‘flagrant’, and then watching it applied to a universal zone related infraction but ignored for a specific incident of blatant, targetted aggression should drive people nuts
my guess is the NBA wouldnt want to call it a ‘Zaza Rule’
And I do not see this post in this thread lol
Insane call
Silver made the call
he’s made the call all 3 games and it still ain’t enough
“Hey, Marc? Yes, you know what to do.”
Very normal and consistent call do you even watch basketball
I try not to overuse the term “casual”, but damn there’s a lot of casuals in here lol
Idk how I get baited every time, they’re either a bot or a child (literally or spiritually), so I lose no matter what
These people don’t watch basketball, I swear r/nba has gotten so much worse over the past year or two
It’s the kawhi rule from 2017. Right call by definition. Natural shooting motion with unnatural close out undercutting shooter. They don’t call it as much as they should but it’s what the rule says
Is there something wrong with my eyes?? Where TF is the unnatural closeout? Thats just momentum physics
By definition if your feet are in the landing zone of the shooting player then it has to be assumed unnatural. The reason is that as an NBA player you’re expected to have enough body control to NOT do that and we don’t currently a have brain analyzer that can tell us what the player was thinking. It’s way too easy to just, you know, not have your feet in the landing zone. At best it’s extremely careless at worst it’s intentionally malicious.
It doesn’t have to be an “unnatural” close out, that language doesn’t exist in the rules. It can be a completely well intentioned and “natural” looking close out and still be a flagrant if you don’t allow the shooter to land safely
Imagine this getting called but not the Wemby shot in the first.
I don’t see it
Probably because there’s nothing to see
You don’t understand, this is a blatantly cruel and unusual act, unlike grabbing someone by the head and trying to throw them down, which Wemby has completely gotten away with twice now without even a common foul called
What you’re describing is ethical basketball, this is monstrous
Brunson’s leg extends backwards and the shooter’s foot lands on his calf.
The Zaza rule.
Incompetent refs.
We’ve reached levels beyond ridiculous with these calls
how is this a flagrant?? he jumped into brunson
Jumped into him, lands on his foot and pretends he’s hurt
Every time Julian Champagnie takes a 3-pointer, he is looking to step on toes. “If I see your feet near me,” he says, “I’m going to search them out.”
Ethical
Outright admitting this should be grounds for immediate suspension lmao. What a clown.
But they’re building something so pure and ethical there
Thunder fans still salty
The ethical saviors of basketball!
Smiling the whole time too
Have you never shot a three pointer before?
Sports bettors got the call in
It’s literally a flagrant 10⁄10 times when you close out and the 3 point shooter rolls his ankle assuming they don’t kick their legs out. These comments are insane. It doesn’t have to look like Zaza.
These comments made me think I was going crazy. No landing space is a Flagrant 1. The rule is in place to prevent what happened right in that moment—Champagnie landed on Brunson’s ankle. There doesn’t have to be hostility or intention involved.
It’s the finals so there are a ton of casuals / the pendulum has swung so hard against the spurs. But yeah, it’s nonsense.
Had to scroll way too far to find some sane people… checks flair … Damnit!
laughs maniacally
I’m a casual basketball fan and even I know that is always a flagrant 1 these days. The fact that every comment disagrees with it makes me really question if anyone here watches basketball lol
People are just pissed at the Spurs getting an overall god whistle / there are trillion Knicks fans on here that do not abide by the laws of logic
We all know no one here watches basketball.
Thank you, folks in here are ignorant of the rules.
He did kick his leg out though
Have you ever shot a basketball?
Don’t expect people to know the rules. Everyone’s just operating on vibes.
Fine with this being called a flagrant 1 if they address Wemby’s wrestling.
Yeah for sure he’s getting a good whistle
It’s the finals, most people here don’t actually know the rules. Very clearly a flagrant, no landing space.
Brun is nowhere near his landing spaceZ Champagnie kicks his legs fully forward like harden. Someone else even posted a link where he said that he does this on purpose, which is pretty twisted when the rule is literally there to protect you from injuries.
The spurs would know a lot about landing space and reckless closeouts
Dort taught em
Bruce Bowen taught em.
Why would Dort need to when the Spurs franchise already has the GOAT in Bowen?
Lol
They want the Spurs to win so bad
Refs when Wemby literally chokes someone: I sleep
Refs when Brunson is literally just standing there: REAL SHIT
I don’t think they care if the spurs win, but they definitely want this series to go 7
NBA never beating the rigged allegations
there not allegations anymore, its been real and factual for decades
Absurd after the no calls in the first half
Is this not the definition of a reckless closeout? Hostility is not a factor in this call like it is a normal flagrant, it’s simply a matter of whether a guy closes out squarely underneath a shooter’s landing spot, which he did.
People got mad about this call going against Fox on SGA not so long ago. The landing space rule is not popular with casuals.
Let’s be real, they don’t even know the rules
How many of these Knicks “fans” even know who Lin is, let’s be fucking real
For real, no one here fucking understands why this was actually called.
I think the bigger issue is the no call on Wemby when he did the same thing to Hart on his three pointer. It’s been massively one sided
French refs
Worst call of the playoffs. Awful
The fact that this is actually false shows how insanely the refs have been favoring the Spurs this series
fking rigged dude
Nah. That shit ain’t right.
The fix is in
How????
Spurs get every call exactly who yall think OKC is
Awful call
Ad revenue legacy game
Everyone with your panties in a bunch. It’s the kawhi rule. It’s a flagrant by definition. Look up pachulia kawhi 2017
We all know what the refs are trying to do.
intent doesn’t matter if Brunson was turned around or accidentally put his leg back. You have to give shooters 1-2 feet of space in front of them for landing space so they don’t get Kawhi’d.
Exactly. Was it that bad? No, and you can tell Brunson didn’t mean to. But the rule has been in place for YEARS because of Zaza. It doesn’t matter if it’s an accident or not. You have to give landing space and if not, there’s a large chance for a flagrant. The league doesn’t want to lose it’s money because star’s get hurt. Everybody knows this. It was wraps once Zaza injured Kawhi.
Ref masterclass
But wemby committing assault on Brunson isn’t even a foul😂😂
How the fuck is that a flagrant where he kicked his own feet three feet forward and not Castle trucking Brunson with the elbow extending out.
Fixing allegations remain unbeaten.
running through a screen is never f1. he didn’t have wind up or follow through. he just didn’t stop. that’s just a foul. now, he did it on purpose. but that’s basketball. contact sport.
Holy shit lmao
there are like 5 calls in this game between both sides i would’ve called a flagrant before this
Basketball is just so soft now. This is a normal close out, come on
nothing to do with soft lol. they are just trying to extend
Unbelievable call. League really wants to fuck the Knicks
This one is legit
Comments should at least have the decency to check the rules
Ball don’t lie
The broadcast crew has done a decent job being neutral for the most part this series but all 3 guys immediately saying this wasn’t a flagrant was the pro-Knicks side showing itself. This was a textbook landing space flagrant 1
This is in the rules btw
Kinda took his landing space. That’s a foul now of days
Sports betting has ruined professional sports. I say this as a Spurs fan…what the fuck did they see here? How is this a flagrant when Wemby’s push on Brunson is not?
Unfortunately it predates sports betting. This is old Lakers/Kings recipes
NBA rules are so ass man.
It’s dumb but they called it on Jaden McDaniels too. At least they are consistent on something…
Most of this thread don’t know shit about NBA rules.
This is by definition a flagrant 1. You have to give the guy his natural landing zone in this situation.
Lmao a flagrant on this and no call on Wemby shoving him onto the ground
A foul is one thing, I get it… but a flagrant feels kinda wild after the wemby shove on Brunson and the castle full shoulder tackle.
Landing Space is an automatic Flagrant-1
This sub is really showing its colors.
This rule is abused by players despite it being for player safety. They need to reign it in somehow, while keeping it in place. Even if it means some post game analysis of shots and feet movement of players, and warnings given out. Or just plainly forward jump leaves you in danger.
Refs completely changed the momentum to start the second half.
Are you fucjibg kidding me
Refs be like “this is the safest place in NYC right now let’s fuck with these Knicks fans” 💀
The next thing he is looking for is feet. “If I see your feet near me, I’m going to search them out,” Champagnie said, pantomiming his own foot stamping down on an imaginary accelerator.
It’s the correct call based on the current rule. It’s just also true that the current rule is bad and should be changed
Wemby shoving Brunson to the ground: *crickets*
Brunson not fouling on a close out: flagrant
As always, fans just want consistency. Yes I have seen this called a flagrant before, but also plenty of times it isn’t.
If you are taking a 3 and land inside the arc, you shouldn’t get a reckless closeout.
The rule should be to protect shooters going straight up, not someone jumping into the closeout.
According to nba’s website, Scott Foster is the replay center official. Zero chance any replays will go against the Spurs
Turning and making contact while the shooter is airborne has to be this call by the book. Refs are hand tied here after they go to the monitor. Champagnie does what he has to do to sell it though I’ll give him that lol.
Nice, no flagrant on Castle stiff arm to the chest
i don’t always like these typa calls but i’d consider the way he gets all the way into his space and then -turns around- to be somewhat reckless. he knew he got a little too close and they called it on him. if he stays facing and makes a bigger effort to get out of the way, i dont think it gets changed.
Well yeah he’s in his landing space, it’s that new rule… wait what do you mean they gave a flagrant 1???
Any time the shooter lands in front of the three point line, I feel like it shouldn’t be a flagrant one.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I never see injuries when players land there. It’s basically always just them fishing for the flagrant
By the rules that is the correct call. That’s why you see defenders closing out to the side of the shooter. And shitty players like Dort sticking their leg out to the side.
By rule this is 100% flagrant. But how about the refs actually pay attention during the rest of the game.
Is the flagrant because he turndd away and didn’t watch his landing?