Mayor sends direct message to LeBron James, signs executive order hours before tipoff
In the closing seconds of Game 5 between the Cavaliers and Pacers on Wednesday, LeBron James made amazing plays on both ends of the court to enable Cleveland to get the victory.
Except one of them shouldn’t have counted.
While LeBron’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer was clean, his defensive play on the previous possession was not.
On a Victor Oladipo drive to the hoop, the shooting guard attempted a layup but was stuffed by LeBron, or so we thought.
Oladipo totally wrong-footed LeBron, LeBron still got there to meet him at the rim. You make the call – goaltend or block? #TwitterNBAShow https://t.co/omlMdcZWi0 pic.twitter.com/7zxdnG9okK
— Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) April 26, 2018
The play was ruled a block, but the NBA then published its Last Two Minute Report of the game and said the refs missed the call. It should have been ruled goaltending as the ball clearly hit the backboard before James blocked it.
That is of little solace to the Pacers as the “My Bad” message the NBA gave them won’t give the team those two points back.
But the mayor of Indianapolis, Joe Hosgett, won’t sit idly with the huge mistake, which may affect the entire complexion of the first-round series.
With Game 6 taking place in Indianapolis, Hosgett has decided to create an executive order banning goaltending and reminding everyone that the goaltending rule, and all rules, apply to every player on the court.
Oh — one more thing. By executive order, I am proud to outlaw goaltending in the City of Indianapolis… for every player, on every team.
I’m ready for Game 6, are you? #Pacers #Together pic.twitter.com/JDKnufwWq9
— Mayor Joe Hogsett (@IndyMayorJoe) April 26, 2018
“Indiana is the center of the basketball universe, and sometimes that means we have an obligation to stand up and defend the basic rules of the game. With this Executive Order, I hope Indianapolis residents can be confident that our city is ready to watch our Pacers win Game 6 on Friday,” said Hogsett via WXIN-TV in Indianapolis.
When the Indy Fuel of the ECHL kindly reminded the mayor that goaltending also occurs in hockey, Hogsett made clear that his order applies only to the hardwood.
Mr. Mayor… This could be slightly problematic for us. pic.twitter.com/0G0OfN7xVg
— Indy Fuel (@IndyFuel) April 27, 2018
Don’t worry — this executive order pertains exclusively to basketball — @IndyFuel, @IndyEleven — you’re safe.
— Mayor Joe Hogsett (@IndyMayorJoe) April 27, 2018
LeBron himself seemed to know that he committed a goaltend and got away with it, but he did his best not to admit his blunder.
“I definitely thought it was a goaltend,” James said with a laugh. “Of course I didn’t think it was a goaltend. I try to make plays like that all the time, and I mean he made a heck of a move, got me leaning right and he went left and I just tried to use my recovery speed and get back up there and make a play on the ball. And I was able to make a play.”
The Pacers will have to make plenty of plays Saturday night to stay alive in the postseason. LeBron has played 60 first-round playoff games in his career but has never been on the verge of elimination in any of them. Indiana has to win LeBron’s 61st game in order to even make that a possibility.
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