As the 2016 NBA Playoffs continue, LeBron James doesn’t understand why he doesn’t get more flagrant foul calls.
So far in the 2016 NBA Playoffs, everything is going as planned for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs have played nine games and have won all nine, including a blowout victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
At the same time, the team’s best player is not quite content with the way things are going. Cavaliers forward LeBron James has been having plenty of hard fouls committed against him during the playoffs, yet a flagrant foul still hasn’t been called against an opponent.
Following practice after Game 1, James was asked by one reporter if he understood the difference between what has been called a common foul and a flagrant foul. LeBron took that moment to point out where James thought he was at a disadvantage:
"“I have no idea what it is. I know what it is when it happens to someone else, but I don’t know when it involves me. I have no idea what a common foul and flagrant foul is.”"
Toronto was called for more fouls than Cleveland in Game 1, but didn’t receive one flagrant foul despite several close calls. Only one flagrant was called in the game, against Cavaliers star Kevin Love.
LeBron James had made similar comments about questionable non-calls during the first round series against the Detroit Pistons (while Pistons players coaches and players made similar complaints about James getting too many calls). Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue thinks that the problem may be that LeBron is just too strong to get those calls:
"“…We don’t want to flop and flail all around. Nowadays to get a flagrant foul, you’ve got to fall down and grab your head and roll on the ground. LeBron being so strong, guys bounce off him. He’s not going to hit the ground as hard as other guys do.”"
Game 2 between the Cavaliers and Raptors tips off Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN. A win by Cleveland will move them into a tie for third place all-time with 10 straight playoff wins in a single postseason, with the record being 12 by the 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs, who went on the win the NBA Finals.
For more NBA Playoffs news, check out our NBA Playoffs hub page.