Well, our guys are told, and are well aware of what to expect in a dook game. Unfortunately it's hard to prepare for an ambush like JB's first foul. First damned defensive possession, Jefferson picks off JB with one of his illegal screens and JB gets f***ing called for "holding". Holding whom?
Maddeningly, that particular illegal "hand-off" screen was
supposed to be a 2016-17 Point of Emphasis for officials. On hand-offs the
screener's body is supposed to be still, and not ass-bumping or turning into the defender --- and sure as hell (as in this case)
not stepping into the defender's path while perpetrating the hand-off.
Make no mistake: This is a blatantly, patently illegal screen... and not a hard one to see for that trail zebra. In fact, it's damned near impossible
not to see (as the "WTF?" looks on JB's and Kennedy's faces would indicate).
K called that play on the opening possession becuase he knows Jackson's got nothing for Berry head-up. Hell, he got half his points in the last game off of Jefferson's screen-shenanigans (which is bad enough) but that gawdawful foul call put JB in the hole for the rest of the game.
...and unfortunately that was only the beginning.
