Ty Lue responds to the late game events in Game 1.#GameTime pic.twitter.com/rnuWUFF8iK
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 1, 2018
Controversy surrounded the tail end of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, when a charge call on Kevin Durant was overturned upon replay review. With 36.4 seconds remaining and the Cavs up 104-102, Durant ran into James in the lane as he slid over to take a charge. The play was called a charge on the floor, and a replay review ensued to seemingly make sure James wasn’t in the restricted area, even though he wasn’t all that close.
If this potentially game sealing charge getting changed to a block (for some unknown reason) doesn't show you how terrible the NBA refs are, I don't know what will.#CavsVsWarriors #NBAFinals #Cavs #Cavaliers pic.twitter.com/XlkpMwYgi7
— Nick Wordekemper (@WordekemperNick) June 1, 2018
The call was overturned to a block, which is allowed once the referees have decided to look at it.
Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue slammed the decision postgame, saying the play never should’ve been reviewed as it was clear that James was outside the restricted area.
“You know the rule is,” Lue began. “You can review the call if he’s inside or outside the restricted area is the rule that I know. I mean they called a charge right? And LeBron was clearly four feet outside the restricted area so it doesn’t make sense to go review something…The review is if he’s on the line or close to the charge circle, that’s the review. He wasn’t close, so what are we reviewing?
“Either call a blocking foul, or call and offensive foul, and for our team to come out and play our hearts out, compete the way we did, it’s bad. And it’s never been done before where you know he’s outside the restricted area and you go overturn the call and say it’s a block?
“It’s never been done, ever, in the history of the game. And tonight in the Finals on the biggest stage, when our team played well, played our ass off – it ain’t right. It ain’t right.”