NBA: When no calls happen

TrueHoop:

Laker Derek Fisher left his feet, and landed hard into Spur Brent Barry. The Spurs were down two and time was running out. That's a foul in my pickup game. That's a foul in high school. That's a foul in college.

Deadspin:

But, in the end, the guiltiest parties may have been Joey Crawford, Joe Forte and Mark Wunderlich...the three wise(guy) monkeys who apparently could see no evil, hear no evil, and certainly couldn't call any evil.

Forum blue and gold

...barry draws all kinds of contact from fisher (brain lock) but the officials don’t bail barry out. If they call that foul barry would be at the line for three throws with his team down two. I’ll gladly admit that that was a foul and Barry should have been
shooting three free throws

FanHouse:

Do you really think that Fisher's crowding of Barry and incidental contact before Barry chucked the ball at the rim 30 feet from the basket would have warranted a whistle? No way

NBA Basketball and other unrealtedness

Sure it might have been a foul, and Duncan might’ve travelled so let’s just say the NBA officiating is what it is

Update:

NBA Office:

The league office on Wednesday reviewed the final play of the San Antonio Spurs' 93-91 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals and acknowledged that a two-shot foul should have been called on Derek Fisher for impeding Brent Barry.

Chris Broussard, ESPN:

So there's not a fiber in my being that believes there was an ulterior motive at work when the referees held their whistles when Derek Fisher landed on -- and clearly fouled -- Brent Barry on the final play of the Lakers' 93-91 Game 4 victory over San Antonio.

NBA Playoffs Day 38. West Conference Finals Game 4

Bill Simmons once wrote "neve post while you are angry" I had to containg myselft last night 'cause that game was even difficult to swallow than game 1. After Sasha Vujacic 4 point play to end the third quater -that gave LA a 7 point cushion - I knew San Antonio still had a chance. They were right there without Manu making a single field goal. They were in striking distance despite being outhustled to the offensive rebound. In the other hand I was surprised LA had that lead while getting almost nill from Odom and Fisher. Kobe had 0 free throws. Neither LA o San Antonio had made enough to "deserve" a lead.

And then the fourth quater began. The Spurs went on their now characteristic offensive droughts. LA wasn't shooting the lights out neither but they were making just the necessary plays. Manu continued to struggle. Duncan looked tired all the way. Robert Horry and Udoka were still in the court while being scoreless and not offering suficient defensive resisten. I was getting angry because despite all that the game was right there. The Spurs needed just a explosion for Ginobili or a Robert Horry three to gain momentum and finish the game. Nothing of that happened. Kobe got his break and entered the game as fresh as 29 year old could be. Odom came to life and every Laker started to make the right play. Offensive rebounds, block shots, deflections, you name it. The Lakers where finally deserving to win the game

And then the final 60 seconds began. The Lakers got a brand new shinny offensive rebound and two free throws from Odom to make it a 7 poing game. A Manu's three and a Odom's goaltending - which was somehow fuzzy - on a Parker layup made it 2 point game with 28 seconds remaining. After the Lakers run the clock Fisher was forced to his left into a tough fadding away jumper that kissed the rim, hit Horry's knee and went out of bounds. The refs called that the ball never touched the rim so LA had 2 seconds on the 24 to make a shot. Kobe
verly airballed it. Duncan got the rebound.

And then the final play began. Their had two options: Manu and Barry. You got to trust your stars but Popovich went to the hot hand. Barry got the ball somewhere between half court and the the three point line, Fisher rushed and jump over Barry. Bumped him. Barry missed it. No call. Game over. As Duncan said

"You're not going to get that call. They're not going to make that call."

Why I was angry:

• They should have been up 2-1. Not down 2-1.

• Manu is clearly hurt. But he left his agresiveness somewhere in game 3

• Popovich never gave rest to Duncan. He had a chance around 8 minutes to play. Duncan really look exhausted.

• For more than 6 and a half minutes the Spurs scored 4 points ( a runner by Barry and a jumper by Manu)

• The Spurs made 9 total field goals in the fourth quater.Three of those where Barry's ( 8 points in that quater ).
  

• The Lakers only had 6 field goals - with 4 free throws by Odom - that pissed me off even more.
  

• As the game ended and the final play took place I yelled "WHAT?". Once my head cooled off I made peace just becuase that foul was not going to be called. Not against the Lakers. Not Joey Crawford. Not to Brent Barry.
  

At the end of day I was pissed off not because the final play or even any of those things I just wrote. I am angry because the Spurs are a better team but right now at this point the Lakers just had an extra step, an extra bounce and that cost the Spurs two games, a 1-3 hole and their season as the defending champions.