LeBron James Flop: Did Heat Star Sell Call On Tyson Chandler Flagrant Foul? (VIDEO, POLL)

As the Heat began building on what would be an insurmountable lead over the Knicks late in the second quarter, New York nearly lost star center Tyson Chandler for the rest of the game due to an ejection.. not that it would have mattered.

With the Heat up by 14 in the final minutes of the half, LeBron James played a one-man full-court press and guarded Iman Shumpert beyond half court. But the two-time MVP didn't see Chandler setting a screen behind him, a very hard screen. Chandler leaned in on the pick and hit James in the back, completely blindsiding him (After all, it's the playoffs). The referee called the obvious foul, but immediately called it a Flagrant 2 which also results in an automatic ejection.

The referees eventually reviewed it and downgraded the call to a Flagrant 1, but why was the official so quick to throw Chandler out? Perhaps James helped sell the call by flailing his arms and rolling on the ground a few times. Or maybe it just happened so fast for the official to be able to tell.

Either way, it led to yet another rant from Jeff Van Gundy, who at first went off on the refs for just ruling it a flagrant foul.

"They called that flagrant?" Van Gundy asked after his partner Mike Breen declared that it was clearly not a flagrant. "Oh come on. What kind of league are we becoming if that's a flagrant foul. That's not a shot. He's not expecting it to be screened. It's not because of what Chandler did that was so flagrant. You can't adjust to the reaction."

Once Van Gundy realized that they had called it a Flagrant-2, he was in disbelief.

"Oh my goodness. Pat Riley is rolling over in his seat right now if he thinks this is a flagrant foul. He saw harder hits in his practices in Miami than this," he said.

After the foul, LeBron went on to score nine straight points to close out the quarter and give the Heat a 54-31 lead at halftime. He finished with 32 points on 10-of-14 from the field, while Chandler barely played the rest of the game since the flagrant was his fourth personal foul.

But did James flop on the play (It's not like he hasn't flopped in the postseason before)? Watch the video above and make the call.

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Did LeBron James flop?

Of course he did!

No, he was just blindsided.

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Comments

[Steve Baeder]

12:37 PM on 05/01/2012

intentional cheap shot with intent to injure

[StevenGr]

02:25 AM on 05/01/2012

I don't think it was a flagrant foul, Chandler was simply screening, he just added a bit of more aggression into it. What James did, whether or not intentional, this only he knows. but it looked doubtful, as flailing arms do not prevent a fall. But then that's what happens when you want a win or title so bad.

[Alwayslearning82]

01:49 AM on 05/01/2012

Same thing lebron pulled against the bulls two weeks ago on a guy half his size, leaned in and blindsided him and was not even called. Karma......

[sloreader]

07:24 PM on 04/30/2012

Vlade, is that you?

[msdarrla]

05:54 PM on 04/30/2012

Flop...but I really want to know what is all that gold ish in Lebron's mouth????? He looks like a fool

[ComicBooksandPolitics]

11:44 PM on 04/30/2012

Errr... it's called a mouthpiece. You know, for when guys cheap shot you like T. Chandler you won't break your jaw.

[msdarrla]

03:55 PM on 05/01/2012

I was referrring to what I realized today are roman numerals written/drawn on "his mouthpiece". No need to be condescending

[O K Ali]

03:08 PM on 04/30/2012

Watching all those Man U. games is starting to pay off, Huh James?

[plzchuteme]

02:42 PM on 04/30/2012

Whoa! Someone needs to get that fish back in the water!

[thoughtsandshots]

01:49 PM on 04/30/2012

ah I see Lebron has been watching the Champion's League.

[OrwellianOne]

01:23 PM on 04/30/2012

30.41% of HP readers need glasses.... or are Lebron fans.

[phillipjpark]

01:03 PM on 04/30/2012

If you're sick of NBA players flopping sign this petition! Let's get some dignity back into the sport!

http://www.change.org/petitions/national-basketball-association-penalize-player-flopping-with-fines-and-suspensions

[plzchuteme]

02:34 PM on 04/30/2012

Dignity??? Sorry, that bus left a while ago.

[Minnehaha]

12:50 PM on 04/30/2012

Lebron James and Dewayne Wade will do anything to win a title this year! Wayne has taught his team mate how to flop, and Lebron has been a very apt student! They will flop, flip, or fake an injury to get points! Or to get an opponent ejected in order to win, they have to, or all their underhanded collusion would have been for nothing!

[plzchuteme]

02:36 PM on 04/30/2012

Finally, someone else calls it for what it was; COLLUSION!

[mjredder]

12:49 PM on 04/30/2012

Arms towards the ground, bracing for a fall; that's legitimate. Arms thrown up to attract the attention of the ref; that's a flop. James threw his arms up to draw attention.

[KeepNIt2Real]

09:55 AM on 05/01/2012

you nailed it!

[Muldoon0]

11:54 AM on 04/30/2012

I am a big Chandler fan and do not care for James, but Chandler did lean into him and gave a little push with his arms, and he blindsided him, too. The combination is probably what made it appear flagrant to the ref.

[moth3r]

12:07 PM on 04/30/2012

You obviously do not know or understand Basketball Flagrant Foul rules. It doesnt not matter if you blindside anyone with a screen or pick, the only thing wrong with what Chandler did was have his feet moving instead of planted. It should never have been a flagrant. It was sold by a "superstar" to become an upgraded foul.

[Muldoon0]

12:30 PM on 04/30/2012

I think you can disagree with me without having to claim based on two of my sentences that I "do not know or understand Flagrant Foul rules." Please re-read what I wrote. I said the combination of leaning, pushing and blindsiding him "probably made it appear to be flagrant to the ref." Also, you said the only thing wrong with what Chandler did was have his feet moving. Chandler also pushed with at least partial use of both elbows. Get your facts straight at least.
If I don't know or understand flagrant foul rules, I'm not the only one. The paid professional referee made the call and even ruled it a flagrant 2 at first glance,.

[OrwellianOne]

11:29 AM on 04/30/2012

Also, James is a horrible actor.

[OrwellianOne]

11:29 AM on 04/30/2012

OF COURSE that was a flop.

ARE PEOPLE BLIND???