Paul George, LeBron James both Questioned Uncalled Jazz fouls
Paul George and LeBron James both weren’t happy with the officiating when they took on the Utah Jazz recently.
Paul George’s expletive-laden reaction to his foul-out from Saturday’s 109-100 loss to the Pacers isn’t the first time that an opposing player has criticized the lack of fouls called against the Utah Jazz.
LeBron James also had words for officials over fouls against him not being called. when the Cavaliers played the Jazz Jan. 10.
George was ejected from the game when he used expletives to express his displeasure with drawing his sixth foul. Following the game, George said,
"“They’re bad,” George said of the referees. “You tell me these guys, the three guys that guarded me, end up with three fouls total. It’s crazy. It’s nonsense. Honestly, ask me about the game. Don’t ask me anything about officials right now because they’re bad.”"
Pacers head coach Nate McMillan also made an early exit from the game when the referees ejected him because he complained continually about the rebounding tactics the Jazz used.
"“We know that rebounding is a challenge for us,” McMillan said. “The first thing we tell our guys is we need to box out and we need to smash. When you’re boxing out and guys are coming over your back, that’s a foul. I thought at several times Myles (Turner) is trying to hold his position and he’s getting pushed down low.”"
James had a reaction similar to George’s and McMillan’s to the officiating during the Cavaliers’ 100-92 loss to the Jazz.
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Referee Tyler Ford called a foul on Jazz point guard Shelvin Mack at 2:09 in the first quarter. James shouted at Ford because he felt Mack had fouled him on a previous play, and Ford didn’t make a call. Additionally, unnamed sources told ESPN that James heard Jazz coach Quin Snyder tell Mack to foul James on that play to prevent James from scoring. Ford gave James a technical for his outburst.
In contrast to George, though, James had no personal fouls called against him when the Cavaliers played the Jazz.
Also, the Pacers had more team fouls against the Jazz than they usually average. The Cavaliers’ team foul total was close to the season average.
The Jazz average 19.1 fouls per game and their opponents average 20.5. Against the Jazz on Jan. 10, the Cavaliers had 19 fouls, which is close to the team’s 18.1 season average. The Jazz had 21.
On the other hand, the referees called 23 fouls against the Pacers on Saturday and only 15 against the Jazz. The Pacers average only 19.3 fouls per game.
Nor did the same officiating crew call both games. In addition to Ford, John Goble and David Guthrie officiated the Cavaliers-Jazz game. Bennie Adams, Marat Kogut, and Ed Malloy refereed the Pacers-Jazz contest.
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Nevertheless, referee crews who will be officiating future Jazz games should take note of George’s and James’ issues as the team seems to be able to generate them, one way or another.