Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports / AP

So think about this scenario:

It’s a tie game, 7 seconds left in the 4th Quarter, and unfortunately the other team has the ball. Normally what do coaches do in these kind of situations? Do you try and get a steal? Defend it and hope the other team doesn’t make a basket to force Overtime? Do you foul and hope the player chokes and not make any freethrows? This kind of decision could either spell a win for your team or a lose.

Last Monday, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the New Jersey Nets on a clutch bucket by Brook Lopez from 6 ft away. To be honest, I am pretty confused about what Cleveland wanted to do. It seemed like for the first few seconds, they were gonna defend the play. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. They wanted to foul and it seems like Ryan Hollins was in charge of intentionally fouling Brook Lopez on that play. Yes he did intentionally foul Brook but did not get the call. Wanna know why he didn’t get the foul call? Well I’ll let you watch the video and see for yourself.

Okay, seriously? That is not how you intentionally foul. Slapping Brook Lopez’s back would not get you a call and if he did a get a call it would’ve been an and 1. You’re playing pro basketball Ryan Hollins, and I am pretty sure that they teach you how to foul intentionally. Remember this foul on Hollins by Jarvis Hayes?

That is how you intentionally foul. It might look like a flagrant (nowadays) but the purpose of intentionally fouling a player (most of the time) is to not let him get a shot up. In Hollins case, he should’ve bear hugged him as soon as Brook got the ball. Not let him back you down and throw up a 6 ft mini hook.

These kind of instances is what could cost you a game and in the Cavaliers case, it did.

Al is a contributor to Stacheketball, if you have any tips on ways to cook Bacon, and tips on how to get Jessica Alba and Keira Knightly to go on a date with him, then you should tweet him at @ahmong.