Nocioni's Flopping Could Be the Spark He Needs

On Wednesday night, the Bulls won over the Clippers in overtime, partly with the help of Andres Nocioni taking an offensive foul late in overtime. After the game, the Clippers whined that Nocioni flopped. Marcus Camby and Zach Randolph, the perpetrator of the foul, both complained about Nocioni's so-called act.

“It’s frustrating because everybody in the league, everybody in the building knows what he does,” Camby said. “He flops, but he got the benefit of the call tonight so we just have to take this one on the chin."

“And the refs know that and I don’t understand,” Randolph added.

If the Clippers know, just as everyone in the league apparently does, that Nocioni is a flopper, then why are they charging him? His career free throw percentage is over 80 percent, and he is effective at taking charges. This isn't rocket science. Don't drive into him in the paint during overtime of close game. Camby and Randolph may want to start working on their own flopping abilities.

Ben Gordon has taken the best attitude about Nocioni's flops.

"Noce is one of those guys you hate to play against but love to have on your team," Gordon said.

Nocioni's flopping is not the only thing that made the Clippers stand up and notice him on Wednesday. He scored 22 points and had a block and a steal, and was perfect from the three-point line, easily his best game of the season. Nocioni started out strong in the first 10 games, averaging 11.3 points per game which included three games with more than 20 points. He had started to slump as of late, but this game against the Clippers may be the spark Noce needs to reenergize his season. If flopping is the culprit, so be it.