Boogie was giving Tyson Chandler the business last night in Sacramento. The 2012 Defensive Player of the Year was no match for DeMarcus Cousins on the block, with the Kings big man spinning past him, or simply crunching through him for 32 points and 16 rebounds. But with under 30 seconds left in regulation, the cagey Chandler sold some incidental contact while playing defense, got the call and Boogie was gone.
Boogie had been coming across the lane from the right to establish position on the block all night. Because he was eating Chandler alive, the Mavs were forced to double him on the wing, and sometimes it worked, but when it didn’t they were scrambling to rotate and the Kings got some easy looks (that’s why having a dominant big man is still important in the NBA).
But Chandler has been around the block once or twice, and knew that Cousins can get a little handsy when trying to establish position for the post entry pass. With the ref behind the play a little, he sold a light tap from Boogie and got him whistled for his sixth foul with 21 seconds left and the scored knotted at 99.
Normally we argue against purported flops, since it’s too hard to tell what might have caused a reaction. But you can tell Chandler gets cuffed a little by Boogie’s right arm as he swung it over him to get position. After first he reacts, but then he OBVIOUSLY — at least from replays — over-sells the contact.
Chandler got the call and the Mavs — on a night when Rajon Rondo even hit a dagger three in overtime — escaped with a 108-104 overtime victory.
Boogie finished with a near quadruple-double, putting up 32 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists and nine turnovers.
Just to continue our season-long love affair with DMC, he could have easily argued the call — since it was the wrong one — and exacerbated the situation by picking up a technical with the score tied. He appeared confused for a beat, and stayed on the court for a while, but he eventually made his way to the bench with a plastic expression that shrouded any internal anger.
