We've gone into great detail in the previous thread about the controversial ending of last night's Wizards-Rockets game. If you were under a rock: with the Wizards up two, Trevor Ariza was called for an off-ball foul for initiating contact against James Harden, giving the Rockets a free throw and the ball. The contact may or may not have actually been initiated by Ariza. On the ensuing play, John Wall was held by a Dwight Howard screen and Harden scored the game-winning layup.
As you'd expect, the Wizards were pissed. All of them. Let's run this down:
"It's the toughest way to lose," Wizards point guard John Wall said. "Opponents shoot 30 more free throws and unless you're having an incredible shooting night, you think you'd lose by 20. We fought hard and ended up losing by one. The bounces and calls didn't go our way towards the end."
"The ball wasn't thrown in, they said, which is one shot and the ball," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said after the 113-112 loss at Toyota Center. "After they saw it (on replay), they saw it was a hook and a hold by him first. But it is what it is."
"We were battling to get the ball. I was trying to stop him from getting the ball. We both made contact," he said. "It just so happen they called a foul."
Was it a foul?
"That's not for me to decide," Ariza said.
"We wish they would just let them play at that moment, but it is what it is," Beal said. "There was just a bunch of controversy at the end of the game that we wish we could have back."
Nene:
Nene: "I don't have anything to say to you guys. I don't want to get fined at the all-star break." #wizards
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) February 13, 2014
I am relieved that the All-Star break is here; as Nene said, "no comment as I don't want to get fined".
Wittman again:
Randy Wittman on #wizards loss: "It’s too bad. These guys deserved to win that game. To have it taken from them like that, it’s sad."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) February 13, 2014
Garrett Temple:
@MikePradaSBN he had his hands on him to start but this is a grown man's sport. Watch what Harden does to clamp TA's arm down at the end.
— Garrett Temple (@GTemp14) February 13, 2014
Unnamed Wizards player, via Michael Lee:
Instead, Ariza fouled out on a dead-ball call, giving Houston a free throw and the ball after the Wizards exerted tremendous energy to rally from a 19-point deficit to take a lead in roughly 15 minutes. One player shouted, "Man, [expletive] the NBA, sometimes."
Phil Jackson:
Dick Bavetta has been around long enuf to know that clasp Harden put on Trevor-offensive foul…okay i’ll SMH
— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) February 13, 2014
So I guess the Wizards are as mad as you are, then.