Posted on May 4, 2014

Everyone should watch Game 7.

And if there is not enough time for the entire game, then at least watch the second quarter.

Sometimes I meet people who say they do not understand basketball.

Others say they do not enjoy watching it.

Some simply are not interested.

I would recommend this particular second quarter to all of them.

Basketball at Full Speed

The game was balanced, spectacular and constantly changing.

There was barely a moment when attention could drift.

Thanks to NBA League Pass, games like this could be watched live even from far away.

Normally, the referees’ whistles interrupt play every few possessions.

In the first half of this game, however, the teams seemed determined to challenge that pattern.

Possessions followed one another at an incredible pace.

Both teams tried to eliminate the opponent’s strengths, yet the offensive players kept pushing the game toward another level.

It was Game 7.

Everything was at stake.

And everyone played like it.

The offensive possessions were often shorter than usual.

Both teams used all five players on the court.

What we saw was close to total basketball.

Every opportunity became a real scoring opportunity.

And the players were willing to take it.

Curry Under Pressure

Chris Paul and the Clippers repeatedly trapped Stephen Curry, trying to surround him and take away his rhythm.

Curry did not back away from the challenge.

He simply continued making three-point shots.

And almost every time Golden State produced a big basket, the Clippers seemed to answer immediately.

Sometimes it was J.J. Redick.

Sometimes Jamal Crawford.

Crawford had built a reputation as an exceptional maker of difficult shots — the kind of player who could create points even when the defense appeared to have done everything correctly.

Before that, Andre Iguodala had his own stretch.

He was effective both inside and outside and, within roughly fifteen seconds, hit two almost identical three-pointers from the same area of the floor.

Athleticism Everywhere

Blake Griffin took the ball the length of the court and finished at the rim.

Earlier, he had thrown a lob to DeAndre Jordan, who exploded above the basket and finished with such power that the entire arena seemed to erupt with him.

The second quarter already felt impossible to improve.

Then Curry found another way.

At the end of the period, he tried to beat the buzzer from beyond half court.

He almost made it.

The shot came just after the red light appeared.

Even that miss somehow fit the atmosphere of the game.

Everything felt possible.

A Game Where Every Possession Mattered

The game remained exciting and unpredictable until the end.

Unfortunately, one team’s season had to finish.

There would be no next game.

With stakes that high, every possession mattered.

Yet there were no major fights.

No prolonged conflicts.

Everyone remained completely focused on trying to influence what would happen next.

In the end, whether because of preparation, execution, fortune or some combination of all three, the Clippers advanced.

And even in the final minute, when more than twenty points were scored in an incredibly short period of time, the game never became boring.

Then I noticed something.

Something was missing.

The Referees Were Almost Invisible

Something that so often influences:

• the result,
• the atmosphere,
• our opinion of the game,
• and sometimes even basketball history.

The referees.

Or rather:

the referees as protagonists.

This time, they did not take the spotlight.

They were present, but almost invisible.

They seemed to understand the importance of the game and worked as partners in allowing the teams to decide it.

There was no unnecessary theatre.

No exaggerated display of authority.

No visible desire to show that they controlled the game.

They simply officiated.

And with basketball being played at such a high level, they appeared determined to perform at the same level.

Authority Without Theatre

A referee already carries authority simply by holding the whistle.

That authority also brings responsibility.

It should not require players and coaches to constantly demonstrate submission to every decision.

The best officials do not need to become part of the spectacle.

They allow the game itself to remain the spectacle.

That is what seemed to happen here.

They did what was necessary.

Without obvious prejudice.

Without constantly demanding attention.

And that must be a good feeling.

Respecting the Game

This was particularly interesting because throughout the playoffs there had already been controversial decisions and situations that generated debate.

Not this time.

Game 7 finished in an exemplary atmosphere.

When the final whistle sounded, players from both teams embraced one another.

Everyone had done what they could.

Everyone had competed.

And everyone had respected the game.

There is something to learn from that too.

Sometimes the best basketball is not only about extraordinary players making extraordinary plays.

Sometimes it is also about everyone involved understanding their role.

Players play.

Coaches coach.

Officials officiate.

And the game remains at the centre of everything.