One of the great mysteries of the NBA universe — the late whistle — is not a mystery at all. In covering pro basketball games for three decades, I have heard that unmistakable sound hundreds of times.
Here’s how it goes: A player gets fouled going to the basket, in the act of shooting, though the contact is borderline. The official pauses, assesses the situation and asks himself or herself the following questions:
Did a significant player commit this borderline foul, and is that significant player already in foul trouble?
