Sonics Whine about Wade

Bob Hill's comments about Wade's game and treatment by the officials could be more damaging to his Sonics than to Wade.

After the Heat's 90-87 victory over the Sonics the other night, Seattle's head coach had a few things to say about the loss - more specifically, about the player most responsible for handing them that loss, Dwyane Wade.

Bob Hill called the officials' treatment of Wade "unbelievable" and he asked how he could coach under such a situation? He cited as an example Wade's ability to carry the ball, palming it, and attack the basket.

Even Ray Allen agreed with Hill, saying it was "lopsided" and even commented that anytime they touched Dwyane Wade they got whistled for a foul. In fact, he said,"There was pressure up on the ball whenever I got the ball, and on the other end, we got whistled any time we touched Dwyane."

Now, not to seem a devil's advocate here, but if there was only "pressure" and no contact, that wouldn't be a foul (and Riley should be credited for teaching his players the proper way to play defense). Consequently, if the Sonics did make contact with Wade, as Allen says, then yes, they should be called for a foul.

So, I don't see the problem here. But, let's for argument's sake take the observations of Hill and Allen as valid. Let's say that Wade is getting away with palming. That shouldn't be a shock, especially if you ask a basketball fan over the age of 40 if he or she thinks players today get away with traveling, palming, etc. Just remember to stand back a few feet before they unleash their response to your question.

If anything, Wade is only getting away with what the league has allowed and has been allowing for well over a decade now, and - yes, you old timers should pay attention - it is something that even the great Jordan himself got away with. (Anyone still think Jordan didn't push off Bryon Russell in that Finals against the Jazz?)

That really isn't the point here, however. I am not trying to be a Dwyane Wade apologist - the guy attacks the basket hard and earns his fouls. If the league decided to take away this alleged palming arsenal in his attack, so many other players would be affected that the point would be moot.

But make no mistake, the NBA is to blame here. They let this wolf into the sheep's pen a long time ago. There isn't any incentive to stop it now, but it would be good for purifying the game again.

And that is the point I am trying to make. Right now, Hill has no one to blame but the NBA as a whole. They let this happen and let it get to this point, but it is a catch 22 for Hill and his Sonics team as well. Because right now, the NBA officials are allowing a game to flourish that aids teams with a perimeter oriented attack.

By allowing guys to carry, travel, et cetera, they are able to initiate their attacks to the basket. And of course, not all of these attacks utilize a foul. But another rule that is more important to look at is the interpretation of contact. As Allen was saying, Wade gets touched, he gets a foul. Allen gets pressured, there is no foul. Well, that is how it is supposed to be, thanks Ray, but to a point. Not all contact by a defender is a foul.

In fact, a lot of what has been going on in the NBA these days should not be called a foul. And by that, I invoke the Chauncey Billups rule - you cannot jump into a defender, initiating contact, and draw a foul. The offensive player is initiating contact and therefore should be called for the foul, not the defender.

If Hill is not aware of this, he should be. He is actually not only drawing attention to Wade's alleged carries, travels, and anything else he can gripe about, but also the officials' interpretation of contact.

By creating space through the conditioning of defenders not being allowed to be physical or even make contact at all with players on the perimeter, teams with perimeter offenses are finding more space to score. Teams like the Suns, Pistons, Bulls (who can't seem to score anyway), Nets and yes, the Sonics.

So Bobby Boy, you're better off complaining about Ray Allen's 5-17 night and citing that as a reason why your team lost. And not Wade's gameplay - because after all, it is the same set of benefits that is applied to your players like Allen, Lewis and even Ridnour.

But that doesn't make the front page, does it...