The NBA has become a game of runs and momentum. The refs and the Thunder know what they’re doing with these foul calls.
Watched last night’s game and it finally clicked for me. On paper, you can say the game was properly officiated with challenges going our way, having similar free throw attempts. BUT if you actually watch throughout, especially during the 3rd quarter, the refs knew what they were doing when Lakers kept it close. Lakers seems to get the “playoff ball” whistle while Thunder has and will for a very long time get a weak whistle, that’ll eventually get them into the bonus, and every single foul call from there one, will swing momentum in their favor by shooting free throws they almost always make.
So I ask, what’s the point? When you continuously slow the game down for the Lakers and quite literally any other team that has faced the Thunder by allowing this playstyle, it makes it impossible to win the game.
They are an amazing team, amazing players that can hit open threes, contested mid range shots, amazing chemistry. But they have a clear formula of flopping for fouls and playing repeated illegal defense every possession where the refs will never call a foul for due to its repetition. These foul calls make the game unwatchable because even if you’re in a close game as you can see last night, the NBA has made it for the Thunder to be destined to win.