This year the league made it very clear that hand checking would not be allowed in the NBA. A defender would not be allowed to place their hands on a perimeter player thereby gaininig an edge. I've seen this called pretty consistently now but it seems, since the playoffs have started, these calls have been totally forgotten. Umm, WHY call it in the regular season if you aren't going to call it in the postseason? I don't see any way that Seattle will ever beat SA -- however, the handchecking on Allen and Lewis is robbing us of the ability to see a great series here. These handchecking calls were a lot of the reason why Seattle has done so well this year -- it has allowed Allen and Lewis to set themselves to get great looks at the basket. Now, the handchecking fouls are totally ignored and once again, defenders are allowed to "frisk" their opponents on defense freely -- Seattle's big men like to play physical ball but Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis can't play that game. I don't think that edge would be the reason that Seattle beats SA -- never thought they could do that -- but I DO think this series would be a LOT more interesting if the refs would continue to do what they have done all year long and enforce the rules that they stated would be enforced at the beginning of the season. Without the handchecking rule, this series is going to be dull, disinteresting and like all the other series in round #2, lose viewers because they simply aren't very competitive!
