Three Flopping Technicals in One Game Put the NBA's Point of Emphasis on Trial
Ja Morant will appeal a flopping technical after three were called in Portland's 136-129 win over the Lakers. Why the call matters in close games.
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Key takeaways
- ESPN reported that Ja Morant, Toumani Camara and Ziaire Williams each drew a flopping technical in the final six minutes of Portland's 136-129 win over the Lakers.
- Blazers coach Micah Nori said only 27 flops were called last year across 2,000 games, per ESPN.
- The teams shot 71 free throws, and Morant said he will appeal a technical he estimated as a $2,000 fine.
- Damian Lillard said the calls were being forced while the game was one possession, which frames the dispute as one of timing.
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Ja Morant Will Appeal a Flopping Technical in the Blazers' Win Over the Lakers
Portland beat the Los Angeles Lakers 136-129 on Tuesday despite 41 points from Luka Doncic, and the finish turned on whistles. Ja Morant, Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara and Lakers forward Ziaire Williams were all assessed technical fouls for flopping in the final six minutes, ESPN reported. The teams combined for 71 free throws.
Morant drew his with Portland up 121-120 in the final four minutes, after a bump from Austin Reaves on a drive. He said he showed his hands and took contact in the chest, and that he did not fall. He said the Blazers had adjusted because the Lakers were getting to the line on drives, and that he estimated the fine at $2,000.
27 flops called last year in 2,000 games total.
Damian Lillard said officials were "forcing" the calls and that a flop should be significant to be called when a game is being decided. He added that he knew it was a point of emphasis.
Our Read: Why Flopping Calls Are a Late-Game Problem
The following is our commentary on the reported facts, not a statement about intent by the league or its officials.
- Rarity makes three in one night notable. By Nori's figure, last season produced about one call per 74 games. Three in one game, all in the final six minutes, suggests officials were enforcing the emphasis hard.
- The timing is the real dispute. Morant's technical came with Portland up 121-120. Whether a call like that belongs in a one-possession game is the question Lillard raised, and the sources do not say what the technical cost on the floor.
- Enforcement can cut both teams. A Laker was also penalized, so the whistles were not one-sided. The Lakers were the ones shooting free throws on drives, which supports Morant's account of why Portland chose to give ground.
- The evidence points both ways. Lillard's complaint is about timing and Nori's remark is partly sarcasm. A league with an emphasis would want consistency, and players would want discretion in the final minutes.
What to Watch Next
- Whether the league upholds or rescinds Morant's technical after his appeal.
- How many more flopping calls officials make in the next week, as a test of the emphasis.
- Whether free-throw totals and game length climb for teams that drive hard.
- Portland's next game, a home matchup with Memphis, and whether the whistle pattern repeats.
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