MaTT4281 wrote:

VDesai wrote:I don't want to feed the crybaby, but can anyone point out the play he is bellyaching about where Josh Hart "shoves" Haliburton in the back? Is he talking about the box out that was called a loose ball foul? I mean that was a normal play in a basketball game and they got their call so what's the complaint. Does he really think Josh cheapshotted Tyrese? Its well documented that Jalen, Josh and Tyrese became good friends during the Team USA time this summer. They have an active group text and they even referred to him as replacement Donte according to their pod!

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/AidanLaPorta69/status/1788389963517558946

In Rick's defense, I did see that live and thought we were lucky it wasn't called a foul. But nothing egregious. Carlisle seems to think it should've been a flagrant 2. Hope Indy doesn't draw Philly or Miami in a series next year.

Sure, it could have been a foul, as well as anytime a player reaches in from behind (like Obi did). The push to the back wasn't intentional. It's not as egregious as they are making it out.

DLeethal wrote:Hart poked the ball, came close to poking it out of bounds or getting a steal. He made an aggressive play on the ball and hit the ball and the refs didn't call the foul. Gee whiz cry me a river. Brunson came limping out and was getting knocked all over the place by Indy.

After watching Hart's interview, he said he poked the ball away and admitted making some contact. I had to rewatch that play. He hits the ball away with the right arm, and almost simultaneously, Haliburton leans forward to recover the ball.

One might actually have expected Haliburton's upper torso to buckle backwards slightly if Hart had hit him hard in the lower back. I don't think Haliburton was even conscious about the contact and was a little embarrassed to have the ball poked away from behind and was trying to recover the ball. He surely didn't react to the play like he'd been the recipient of a cheap shot. I bet a different camera angle might have changed opinions.