Plus, the guy on the left was running the clock.
I did think that was a long 0.4 second.
However, this did occur on San Antonio's home court. No one to blame here.
Refs, timekeeper and now the NBA say...
[BZZZZZZZZZZZZT!]
Shot counts. Lakers win. Lakers lead the series, 3-2.
Maybe the Spurs should have gotten their business done the other 47 minutes of the game, so it didn't come down to whether Duncan or Fisher got the last shot off. Especially since they were playing at home, where they'd already beaten the Lakers 2-0.
To be fair, they should also do a photo analysis of Duncan's shot... it seemed to me that the clock was at 0.8 seconds when the ball passed the rim...
Let's see...
Spurs were at home.
Spurs had both Laker big men in foul trouble for most of the second period.
Spurs are the defending world champions.
Spurs are probably the worst free-throw shooting team still playing (they make the Lakers look like a team of Bill Sharmans).
But the Spurs won the game.
Go cry to Gore, I'm sure he feels the same way.
Didja know that Brady fumble in the 2002 AFC Playoffs?
Unlike the Buffalo Sabres who lost the Stanley Cup on an "in the crease" violation which was so blatant that the NHL actually CHANGED THE RULE the next season from preventing it from happening again.
Also, get over it. Its only a game.
And the Philadelphia Eagles' amazing 4th-and-26 completion during last year's NFL playoffs really was only 25 yards. These things happen - sometimes they break for you, sometimes against. No point in whining about it. If this is the difference whether San Antonio advances or not, then whether they deserve to advance is questionable.
Nope. I watched teh play in slow-mo too.
The clock operator ran the play as close to perfection as you can get. The NBA has specifically ruled too, I should note, that a shot can be made with .4 seconds.
OTOH, the clock operator clearly failed to stop the clock for .3 or .4 sec after Duncan's previously made shot.
It is sad to see this kind of whining from one of the NBA's classier organizations. Maybe signing that French guy is wearing off on the old team of David Robinson...
I had Spurs season tickets for over 25 years (at the sideline courtside for the last part of that time) so I commisserate.
But, the game is over and the results won't be changed. We now need to win in LA.
The absolutely great effort to come back from 16 points down (in spite of 13 turnovers in the 3rd quarter) shows we can do it.
Go Spurs!
The only thing that counts is the red light behind the hoop.
Plus, the guy on the left was running the clock.
Not into basketball but it seems to me that if your entire game comes down to the last .4 of a second there are some other issues that need to be addressed :-)
call an........ WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMbulance
Seems to me a lot of time could be saved in professional basketball if all games started with the score 90 to 90 with 3 minutes left to play.
I counted 55 frames (between Fisher's catching the ball and releasing it) on my TIVO. I'm not sure how far the TIVO advances on each forward click; but it must have been over 1 second. Fisher doesn't catch and shoot; he lowers the ball close to his knees then starts his jump.
I was surprised none of the announcers noticed.
I think it's clearly the time keeper's fault: he was slow starting the clock. He's an employee of the home team, no? This is Texas, right? Do they still lynch people for crimes?
If the Lakers win the series the TV ratings go up. LA is a bigger market than any place in Texas. If the ratings go up the NBA gets more $.
You don't have to be a genius to figure that out. [There are already muted gripes from network and NBA officials about the dreadful possibility of a finale between, perhaps, the Spurs and the Pacers. Horror of horrors - small market teams ought not to be in finals.]
In other news :
Fisher turned out the lights at the SBC Center and exited the building before it got dark inside.