Lee criticism reflects problem at all levels

Sunday night’s dramatic ending in game two of the NBA Finals could have been enough to make the Orlando Magic disappear and place a fourth ring on Kobe Bryant’s hand.

However, it was also enough to stir up the question of whether the outcome should be placed on the shoulders of Magic rookie guard Courtney Lee.

Lee, an Indianapolis native and former Pike High School standout, was on the receiving end of a brilliant play drawn up by Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. The play consisted of All-Star Dwight Howard setting a screen for Lee, who rolled to the basket and received a picture-perfect pass for an alley-oop layup.

The only problem? It didn’t go in.

That basket would have put the Magic up by two with just seconds left, making a split series in Los Angeles extremely palpable.

The next morning, after an ending like the country witnessed Sunday, the debate of where blame should fall was inevitable. The reality is that blame should never fall on someone in the position Lee was Sunday night.

Sure, layups should be made 99 percent of the time, especially at the professional level. But they’re not. If one layup near the end of a contest is enough to stir up the controversy to the extent of Sunday night’s, why don’t all blown freebies?

A shot like Lee’s at the end of the game sticks in minds of fans and the media. In the light of a nail-biting contest, no one is going to remember a layup that was missed back in the opening minutes of the first or second quarters.

The same goes for blaming officials for a blown call.

A prime example of the widespread syndrome was the early season game between the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos this past season, when referee Ed Hochuli blew a call in the San Diego red zone. As then-Denver quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to pass, he lost the ball in an attempt to throw. Hochuli’s whistle prematurely blew before the ball landed in the hands of Chargers linebacker Tim Dobbins. The Broncos went on to score and win 39-38.

Something like this, as was true with Lee’s miss, is what everyone sees.

Everyone doesn’t see something like a missed seal on an inside linebacker, preventing a breakaway touchdown run. They also might not see a wideout make a false step on a deep route, throwing off the timing between the quarterback and receiver which could lead to a shift in momentum.

The concept is true for all levels of competition, whether it’s pee-wee T-ball or the NBA. When a team plays a flawless game in its respective sport, the topic could be open for legitimate discussion.

Until that happens, one play or one figure doesn’t deserve to be the scapegoat for any outcome, good or bad.