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Block or charge?

One of the most difficult calls to make in the split second of fast-paced NBA action helped swing Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Golden State’s favor. Officials went to a replay review because they weren’t sure if LeBron James‘ feet were outside the restricted area when Kevin Durant slammed into him in the final minute of regulation in a game Cleveland lost 124-114 in overtime Thursday night.

The play came with about 30 seconds left and the Cavaliers leading 104-102 after James converted a three-point play as part of a 51-point night.

The initial signal was for a charge Adam Vinatieri Jersey , which would have given Cleveland the ball. But the officials then called for a replay, as NBA rules allow for that type of play in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime.

”We were told they were reviewing if I had my feet outside the line,” James said. ”And when I knew that, I was like, OK, that’s going to be our ball. I knew I was outside the charge line, so that’s what the communication was to us. We were over on the sideline, drawing up a play, you know, to try to execute, try to go up a couple possessions.”

During the replay, officials can also look to determine if the defensive player was in a legal guarding position, and they decided James wasn’t.

”It was determined he was out of the restricted area, but he was not in a legal guarding position prior to Durant’s separate shooting motion,” referee Ken Mauer told a pool reporter. ”So we had to change it to a blocking foul.”

The overturn angered the Cavaliers, who were upset the call even went to review because they felt James was clearly outside the restricted area.

”It doesn’t make sense to go review something if the review is if he’s on the line or if he’s close to the charge circle, that’s the review. He wasn’t close,” coach Tyronn Lue said. ”So what are we reviewing? Either call a blocking foul or call an offensive foul. For our team to come out and play their hearts out and compete the way we did, man, I mean, it’s bad.

”It’s never been done before where you know he’s outside the restricted, and then you go there and overturn the call and say it’s a block. It’s never been done, ever, in the history of the game. And then tonight in the finals on the biggest stage, when our team played well, played our (butt) off, man Taron Johnson Jersey , it ain’t right. It ain’t right.”

Durant said he had seen that play reviewed before and was confident he would get the call once officials looked at the replay.

”I knew that. I knew he was late on the drive, and I knew I had my man beat and he came over a little late,” he said. ”So when they called the charge, I was surprised, but I’m glad they reviewed it.”

While James was moving when Durant left the ground, he still believed he was in a legal position and should have gotten the call even after it went to replay.

”I thought I read that play just as well as I read any play in my career, defensively,” he said. ”I saw the drive, I was outside the charge line, I stepped in, took the contact. It’s a huge play. It’s a huge play.”

Durant made both foul shots to tie the game.

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A look at the players to be inducted Sunday into the Baseball Hall of Fame:
LARRY WAYNE "CHIPPER" JONES JR.: Born April 24, 1972 in Deland, Florida. ... 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, batted both, threw right. ... elected in first year of eligibility with 97.2 percent (410 of 422) of the vote. ... drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the 1990 MLB amateur draft out of the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. ... in 19 seasons with the Braves had 2,726 hits, 1,055 for extra bases, and batted .303 with 468 home runs, 1,623 RBIs and 150 stolen bases. ... eight-time All-Star third baseman. ... was a force for most of the Atlanta teams that won 14 straight division titles and one World Series. ... in 1999 hit 45 homers and 41 doubles, drove in 126 runs, scored 116 times, drew 126 walks, and stole 20 bases to win NL MVP Award. ... won NL Silver Slugger Award for third basemen in 1999-2000. ... in 2006 had an extra-base hit in 14 straight games to tie the MLB record set in 1927 by Pittsburgh's Paul Waner. ... led MLB in hitting in 2008 with .364 average. ... only switch-hitter in MLB history with career batting average of at least .300 and 400 or more homers.
JAMES HOWARD THOME: Born Aug. 27 Jonathan Bullard Jersey , 1970 in Peoria, Illinois. ... 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, batted left, threw right. ... elected in first year of eligibility, one of only 54 players to do so, receiving 89.8 percent of the ballots. ... selected by the Cleveland Indians out of Illinois Central College in the 13th round of the 1989 amateur draft. ... batted .276, played in 2,543 games and had 2,328 hits, 1,583 runs, 612 home runs and 1,699 RBIs in 22 seasons with the Indians, White Sox, Phillies, Dodgers, Twins and Orioles. ... played first base, third base and designated hitter ... had a record 13 walk-off homers and hit 40 or more home runs six times. ... five-time All-Star. ... best season was 2002 in Cleveland when he hit a career-high 52 home runs with 118 RBIs and led AL in walks (122), slugging percentage (.677) and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.122), and batted .304 with an on-base percentage of .445. ... hit 17 homers in the postseason.
VLADIMIR ALVINO GUERRERO: Born Feb. 9, 1975, in Don Gregorio, Dominican Republic. ... 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, batted right and threw right. .. earned votes on 92.9 percent of all BBWAA ballots cast in his second year of eligibility. ... batted .318 with 2,590 hits Kony Ealy Jersey , 449 home runs, 1,496 RBIs and .553 slugging percentage in 16 seasons for the Expos, Angels, Rangers and Orioles. ... nine-time All-Star. ... had 39 doubles, 39 homers, 124 runs and 126 RBIs to win 2004 AL MVP Award. ... eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner. ... hit .300 or higher 13 times, drove in 100 or more runs 10 times, and connected for at least 30 homers eight times. ... notorious free-swinging, bad-ball hitter who slammed 126 first-pitch homers and struck out just 985 times. ... strong-armed outfielder who had 14 seasons of double-digit assists and 14 seasons of at least 10 errors and finished career with 126 assists and 125 errors. ... spent six seasons with the Angels after eight years in Montreal and will be first player inducted with an Angels logo on his Hall plaque.
TREVOR WILLIAM HOFFMAN: Born Oct. 13, 1967 in Bellflower, California. ... 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, batted right and threw right. ... received 79.9 percent of the Hall of Fame vote after missing by only five votes last year. ... drafted by the Cincinnati Reds on the 11th round of the 1989 MLB amateur draft. ... was a minor league infielder for three seasons before becoming a relief pitcher. ... in 18 years mainly with the San Diego Padres appeared in 1,035 games, posting a 61-75 record and registering 601 saves, second all-time to Mariano Rivera's 652. ... sixth pitcher who served mostly as a reliever to make the Hall of Fame. ... in 1,089.1 innings pitched allowed 846 hits, 378 runs, struck out 1,133 and had a career ERA of 2.87.
JOHN SCOTT MORRIS: Born: May 16, 1955, in St. Paul, Minnesota. ... 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, batted right and threw right. ... elected last December by a veterans committee. ... drafted by the Detroit Tigers on the fifth round of the 1976 MLB amateur draft out of Brigham Young University. ... in 18 years with Detroit, Minnesota Byron Jones Jersey , Toronto and Cleveland pitched 3,824 innings and posted a 254-186 record with 2,478 strikeouts. ... had 175 complete games and a career ERA of 3.90, the highest of any pitcher in the Hall of Fame. ... five-time All-Star. ... played on four World Series champions, Detroit (1984), Minnesota (1991), and Toronto (1992-93). ... one of six players in MLB history to win consecutive World Series titles on different teams. ... was 7-4 with five complete games in 13 postseason starts. ... went 4-2 with an ERA of 2.96 in six World Series starts, completing three. ... started the most games (332), pitched the most innings (2,443.2), and had the most wins (162) of any pitcher in the 1980s. ... retired after the 1994 season and appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in 2000. ... has worked as a broadcaster for the Blue Jays, Twins, and Tigers since retiring.
ALAN STUART TRAMMELL: Born Feb. 21, 1958 in Garden Grove, California. ... 6 foot, 165 pounds, batted right and threw right. ... elected last December by a veterans committee. ... drafted by the Detroit Tigers on the second round of the 1976 MLB amateur draft. ... consistent all-around producer at shortstop from 1977-96, playing in 2,293 games for the Tigers. ... had 2,365 hits, 185 homers, 1,003 RBIs, 1,231 runs, and 236 stolen bases. ... six-time All-Star. ... earned four Gold Glove Awards and three Silver Slugger Awards. ... hit two home runs in one game and batted .450 to win MVP honors in Detroit's five-game triumph over the San Diego Padres in 1984 World Series. ... in 1987 finished second in AL MVP voting after hitting .343 with 28 homers and 105 RBIs while batting cleanup. ... seven-time .300 hitter with a .285 career batting average. Jacksonville Jaguars Customized Jerseys ,