LeBron James Insists He Was Fouled in Game He Didn't Play In

Cavaliers Forward LeBron James is pleading his case after a no-call that he believes may have decided Monday night's Eastern Conference playoff game.

With the Boston Celtics trailing the Orlando Magic midway through the fourth quarter, Celtics guard Rajon Rondo collided in the backcourt with Orlando's Rafer Alston. Rondo fell to the ground and no whistle was blown.

An irate James immediately jumped up from the couch in his Akron home and argued to friends that he was fouled on the play.

An official review of the play confirmed that the Cavaliers were not in fact playing in the game. "They took the time to get it right, and you have to tip your cap to that," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Monday night.

The officials themselves were divided on whether the Cleveland star was fouled on the play. "I looked at the review, and I personally didn't see conclusive evidence that [James] wasn't fouled," said referee James Capers.

After several replays, officials Mark Wunderlich and Ken Mauer disagreed with Capers and concluded that James was not fouled.

"As a referee, it's the worst position you can be in," Wunderlich said. "On one hand, [James] doesn't play for either of the teams that were out there. On the other hand, come on—I mean, it is LeBron James. It's tough not to call that, but it's the playoffs, and I feel we made the right decision."

James was not as appreciative.  "When you try to create plays, you want to see that call made," the League MVP said. When told that, since his team wasn't playing, the call actually didn't have any bearing on Cleveland's yet-to-be-played Game 1 with the Atlanta Hawks, James refused to relent. "I'm the Most Valuable Player for a reason. I go hard every minute of every game, and I'm not going to change that for anybody."

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