Late in the fourth quarter of the Pacers’ Game 2 win over the Heat, Dwyane Wade elevates to try to get past Lance Stephenson just after he crosses half court.
It appeared as though Wade was simply trying to hustle to get into defensive position, and had no intention of making any malicious contact. But as Stephenson turned and as Wade jumped past him, he did land an elbow to Stephenson’s head in the process.
The play was ignored by the officials, and no foul was called on Wade for his action.
If nothing else, this further goes to show how inconsistent the officiating can be, even within the same game. Sam Young was issued a technical foul for a small, harmless swipe at the ball after the whistle, and yet a shot to the head like this one -- however unintentional it may have been -- ended up going unpunished.
The play is being reviewed by the league office, reports Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.