Erik Spoelstra on Dwayne Wade’s final shot: ‘He got fouled’

The Hornets escaped Miami with a two-point Game 5 win yesterday, but not before roughing up Dwyane Wade on his final shot.

Cody Zeller and Courtney Lee defended Wade’s attempted putback, and Wade fell to the floor after contact.

Enough contact to warrant a foul?

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, via Dave George of The Palm Beach Post:

“I don’t need to see it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said when asked if he watched a replay on the crucial no-call. “He got fouled.”

Wade, via Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald:

“I haven’t looked at it,” Wade said. “It’s pointless now. There’s no reason for me to look at it. It’s not going to change anything. I thought I did. But it wasn’t called.”

Officials rarely blow the whistle in those closing moments, because they don’t want to decide the game – as if letting a foul go uncalled isn’t also deciding the game. I hate how the de facto rules change in crunch time, but everyone – including Zeller and Lee – knows the situation. That affected how Charlotte defended.

Should it have been a foul? It’s close. I think Zeller was clean, but it appears Lee got his hands too much on Wade.

It’ll be interesting to see what the Last Two Minute Report says after the NBA reviews the play from multiple angles.

There’s a less suspense about Spoelstra’s fate. He’ll probably get fined.