A traveling call in the NBA is like getting a citation for jaywalking. Technically, it’s against the rules, but it gets broken more than the hearts of Sixers fans. Philadelphia was one overtime push away from making their first Conference Finals appearance in 18 years, but four unfortunate bounces on the rim shattered that goal, and some Sixers fans are scapegoating a missed travel call on Kawhi Leonard’s game-winning possession that ultimately ended their season.
It’s easy for Sixers fans to forget the blatant hack J.J. Redick delivered to Kawhi moments earlier, or the fact that Redick uses his steps liberally on catch-and-shoots. Blaming Kawhi’s perceived travel is a last gasp effort to undermine the victory to help with the healing process. And in their defense, they’re technically not wrong if this was literally any other basketball league in the world.
Most Philly fans know that relying on a travel call in the NBA is like hoping for a burger at a PETA convention, but there were also plenty of fans who were livid about the missed call.
Moral of the story: Refs suck. Don’t leave the game in their hands.