I actually liked that the refs were letting the players play. It kept the game moving and I think it worked in Portland's favor. I know Dame was getting frustrated about not getting calls, but it works both ways and at least the refs were consistent.
Without Moe, I was worried about Nurk picking up too many quick fouls on Davis. He picked up his 3rd foul with 7.5 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, but was able to play the entire second half without picking up another foul. That let Nurk be physical and play like a beast, and that always seems to work in Portland's favor. If the refs had been calling every ticky-tacky foul, sure Dame would have gotten to the line more, but Nurk may have been sitting on the bench for long stretches and playing soft to avoid picking up another foul while on the court.
I think after a while, it also forced Dame to quit looking for the call and focus on creating good, makeable shots. Sometimes, you can tell he just puts his head down, draws contact and hopes to get a call. Last night, once it became obvious he wasn't going to get those calls, he stopped trying that tactic and worked for better shots.
BNM
