It was a foul.
Watch it, LeBron James hooks Durant under the arm as Durant spins baseline. No call, Durant misses the shot that could have tied it. Miami goes on to win 100-96. (Hat tip to Eye on Basketball for the video.)
I need to add — that play is not where Oklahoma City lost the game. They lost it when they fell behind 18-2 to open the game and had to fight and claw and expend a lot of energy just to get back in it so there could even be a final shot that mattered. They lost the game shooting 5-for-20 in the first quarter. The Thunder can’t dig themselves holes to climb out of against a team with the talent Miami has.
“When you get down 17, too many things have to happen well for you and perfect for you,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said after the game. “I give our guys credit that we did fight back, but we can’t afford to have... that’s two games in a row where in the first six minutes we’re down 10-12 points.”
Both Brooks and Durant avoided talking about this play after the game. They took the high road (and avoided fines from DAvid Stern).
That play mars what had been one exciting game and fourth quarter before that.
