LeBron James was not too fond of the non-Flagrant foul call on Atlanta Hawks' Clint Capela on Friday. Not only was he upset about the missed call, but he voiced his displeasures on the inconsistencies in how Flagrant fouls are officiated.
Capela seemed to pull down Cavaliers' Evan Mobley before Mobley fell back and landed on Capela's leg. As a result, the Hawks center hurt his leg on the play. Despite the unfortunate injury, the consensus on Twitter seemed to be that Capela should've been called for a Flagrant 1. The center really didn't make a basketball play, although his injury likely helped his case in avoiding said punishment.
The play as a whole ended up being crucial, as Capela missed the rest of the game due to right knee hyperextension. Currently, a Flagrant 1 foul is defined as “unnecessary contact committed by a player on an opponent.” After watching the play on replay, it's obvious Capela's actions should be deemed “unnecessary.”
James' frustration is highlighted by the inconsistencies in how those plays are called by referees. It's something that's been at the debate amongst fans, coaches, and players for a few years now.
James tweeted this in the midst of the Hawks-Cavaliers Play-In game. His Lakers failed to reach the postseason, leading to him watching the playoffs from his couch for the second time in the past four years. It's clear the NBA has an issue on their hands though. It's something that certainly should be looked at in the offseason as getting resolved.