NBA players flop in part because it is extremely difficult for referees to tell the difference between legitimate contact and an embellishment or fabrication. For every obviously mistaken call that helps decide a game, there are many more that could conceivably go either way. Refereeing is a tough job, particularly when the players on the floor have embraced deception.
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Sometimes, though, the flops are so clearly awful that they produce all laughs and no whistles. Charlotte Hornets wing P.J. Hairston produced such a play just a few possessions into the fourth quarter of Wednesday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Hairston made some contact with Tony Parker as he hedged to guard San Antonio's pick and roll, but his reaction may have been just a bit too extreme:

Hairston thankfully did not get his desired result — in fact, Parker found Danny Green for a three to run the Spurs' lead to 81-70. The Hornets came back to make it a game but eventually lost 98-93 to end their winning streak at five games.
It's anyone's guess as to why Hairston thought this move would work. He did score on the previous possession, though, so maybe he was just feeling saucy.

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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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