Utah Jazz Unhappy With Late Foul on Mo Williams


Chauncey Billups got away with an egregious flop late in the fourth quarter last night in Utah, which quite understandably, left Jazz players and coaches steaming. Per the Salt Lake Tribune: “The controversial call during L.A.’s 105-104 win came after the Jazz took a 99-97 lead on Mo Williams’ 3-point shot. On the Clippers’ next possession, veteran Chauncey Billups ended up with the ball at the 3-point line. His shot missed but Williams was called for a foul by official Dick Bavetta. TV replays clearly showed Billups stuck out his left leg as Williams ran past him, creating the contact before falling to the court. Billups made two of his three free throws and the Clippers never trailed again. […] Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin wasn’t sure Billups should have been rewarded with a trip to the free-throw line. ‘At best, I thought it may have been an offensive foul,’ Corbin said, ‘because one of the points of emphasis, I thought, was you can’t throw your arms and legs out.’ According to Corbin, Williams ‘did a good job of challenging the shot and I thought he tried to get to the side of him. … Big call. Referee saw it a different way, but I thought we did everything we could do to challenge the shot.’ Asked about the play, Williams looked at reporters, rubbed some lotion into his hands and said, ‘Hmm.’ He paused before a member of the Jazz public relations staff said, ‘Next question.’ Later, after the crowd of reporters thinned, Williams said, ‘[Billups] is a vet … I can’t get mad. I get some of those. It just happened at the wrong time.'”