End of Game...

Watching the opening game of the Celtics-Knicks playoff series, I took away a few things that seemingly happens to many of our teams on all levels of play. A couple of questionable decisions and calls probably decided the game in the Celtics favor (which is great, I'm a C's diehard), but it could have easily gone the other way:

- With his team up 85-84 with 21 seconds left, Carmelo Anthony is called for an offensive foul that probably shouldn't be called at that point in a game.  Again, I'm a C's fan, but you just don't call that foul there since you hadn't called it all game.  Also, while Paul Pierce flopped to get the call, Anthony could have easily used that chance to blow by him for an uncontested lay-up.  Next time, Pierce flops, they score, game over.  It's the law of averages.

- I gotta stay on the refs here a little. On the Ray Allen 3 pointer, the play was designed with screen the screener action.  Allen screens for Pierce and then KG is supposed to screen the the man who switches onto Allen. After that, Doc is hoping that KG's man instictively jumps out to guard Allen leaving KG rolling to the rim alone.  It works, somewhat. KG screens extremely late, and winds up setting a moving screen and tripping Knicks guard Tony Douglas in the process.  If the refs were calling the game as they had on the Anthony offensive, it should have been a foul and Knicks ball.  Again, law of averages say that if it happens in the future the officials call it.

- Well, Allen hits the shot and everyone goes nuts. Everyone including Allen and Delonte West, who was ON THE BENCH! Yet, West runs on the floor during the game to body bump Ray Allen when the Kicks have inbounded the ball for their final shot.  Obviously, both Allen and West weren't thinking, and neither were the other 47 players, coaches and staff the Celtics have on their bench. The Celtics could have been assessed a technical foul and had given the Knicks (who didn't have a timeout left) a free throw and the ball on the sideline. Not a very intelligent move by a veteran squad.

- Finally, in the commotion, the Celtics forget to foul on the last play. The team had a foul to give and the Knicks, without a timeout, would have had to inbound the ball on the sideline allowing the C's to set-up a defense. More importantly, it would have prevented the chaos that ensued when the C's had trouble picking up a man (although Ray Allen's premature celebration could have been the cause of that too).

My point: 

Even with arguably the best professional players, athletes, staff and officials, things can get out of control in the waning seconds of any game.  It's important for everyone involved in game situations to keep a calm demeanor, especially the coaches and officials who seemingly let the emotion of the game overcome their better judgement.  As coaches, we need to impart to our players and staff the need for control under these circumstances.  If we can gain that advantage, then we can tip the law of averages in our team's favor.