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The Pacers are all too familiar with overturned charges

By Tony East

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 13: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 13, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Thunder defeated the Pacers 100-95. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 13: Thaddeus Young #21 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 13, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Thunder defeated the Pacers 100-95. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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In NBA Finals game 1, there was a controversial overturned charge call that made some fans open the NBA rulebook. Don’t forget when it happened to the Pacers.

The Pacers were hosting the Thunder in probably their most watched game of the regular season. Paul George was back in town for the first time since being traded, and Bankers Life Fieldhouse was as loud and crazy as ever. Given the sentiments around PGs return, this game was as close to the finals for the Pacers as you were going to get.

And now, that isn’t the only parallel that the game shares with the actual finals.

96-94. That was the score the Thunder led by with one minute to go in the game. Then, this happened:

Watch it again. This time watch the baseline official. He clearly calls a charge. Now watch it a third time and watch Josh Huestis slide into position after Thaddeus Young already had gathered to shoot. That’s a block.

The whole situation happened so fast and everything was so close, the call could have gone either way. Sound familiar?

If you watched the NBA Finals Game 1, it probably does:

LeBron James got in the way of Kevin Durant‘s drive at the final moments. But it was initially called a charge on Kevin Durant. The officials reviewed it and overturned the call to (correctly, I might add) be a blocking foul on LeBron James.

Kevin Durant hit two free throws that tied the game with 36 seconds to go.

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The Warriors wound up winning in overtime. You all know that tale. But the debate amongst fans became less about the ruling of a block and more about the question “is that call even reviewable?”.

It is one of the only reviewable plays in the NBA, actually.

Many Cavaliers fans thought their team was getting hosed since LeBron was clearly out of the restricted area and there was no precedent for a review of this kind.

But flashback to the Thunder-Pacers game in December, and you’ll see there was a precedent. Young was initially called for a charge, after review the officials called it a block, and free throws ensued. So, you’re out of luck Cavs fans. The officials got it right. And they have done exactly that sort of review before.

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The biggest difference between these two scenarios is that Thad Young missed one of the two free throws and the Pacers went on to lose by five. But that is semantics. The Pacers set the precedent for these calls to be overturned, and it ended up mattering on the biggest stage. Sorry, Cavs fans. The Pacers set the precedent.

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