Dave Portnoy left stunned as Jose Alvarado avoids flagrant foul after tackling Victor Wembanyama

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

Dave Portnoy was left stunned by another officiating decision involving Victor Wembanyama during Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.

The night had already been full of whistle drama at Madison Square Garden, with both sides watching physical plays get judged under a microscope as the Spurs built a huge first-half lead.

This time, the debate centered on Jose Alvarado, Wembanyama, and a collision that looked more like a football play than normal playoff contact.

You must be registered for see images attach

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Dave Portnoy reacts after Jose Alvarado avoids flagrant foul on Victor Wembanyama​

Dave Portnoy questioned the ruling after Jose Alvarado was not assessed a flagrant foul for his tackle-style play on Victor Wembanyama.

“Tackling a guy isn’t a flagrant? Ok,” Portnoy tweeted.

Portnoy’s reaction captured the confusion around the moment. The play was physical enough to spark immediate debate, but officials did not raise it to the flagrant level.

That ruling stood out even more because Game 4 had already featured controversy over what was and was not being treated as excessive contact.

Jose Alvarado’s tackle on Victor Wembanyama adds to Game 4 officiating debate​

Alvarado’s collision with Wembanyama came in a game that was already slipping away from the Knicks, with San Antonio ahead 76-49 at halftime and controlling the flow with record three-point shooting.

The no-flagrant decision was notable because Alvarado had already warned Wembanyama after the Game 3 incident with Jalen Brunson, saying the Spurs star had gotten away with one and that it would be the last one.

That history made the Game 4 play feel less random. Wembanyama had avoided a flagrant upgrade after shoving Brunson in Game 3, while Mitchell Robinson later saw a foul on Wembanyama upgraded to a flagrant in Game 4.

Alvarado’s play gave the series another officiating flashpoint. The refs did not call it a flagrant, but Portnoy’s reaction showed why fans saw it as part of a larger pattern of confusing, inconsistent rulings around Wembanyama and the Knicks.

Read more:

• Knicks fans accuse NBA refs of cheating after wild flagrant foul on Mitchell Robinson vs. Victor Wembanyama
• A defeated Mike Brown drops final take on NBA’s lack of punishment on Victor Wembanyama
• De’Aaron Fox perfectly sums up why Wemby and the Spurs can win the NBA Finals

Continue reading...