Official Report
Steve Javie
Playoff Games: 5 (all as lead)
Home Team win % in playoffs: 80%
Fouls called per game: 36.6
Percent of calls on Home Team:44 %
Technical fouls called per game: 2.6
Steve Javie has been officiating games since the 1986-87 season and has officiated over 1,300+ regular season games, 190+ play-off games, and 18 NBA Finals games. He had refereed in the Finals every year since 1995 up until last year when he missed the playoffs with a knee injury. He is one of the more respected referees in the league by most fans but he is not without controversy. He was fined for telling Pat Riley, when he was the coach of the Heat, “It‘s giving us absolute delight to watch you and your team die.” He also isn't very well liked in Portland after tossing their broadcaster, Mike Rice, from a game. He was also once threatened by Sheed when he played in Portland. Javie's career was in jeopardy when he missed last year's playoffs with knee problems. He joins players like Wally Sczcerbiak, Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Brandon Roy who have knees that are reportedly bone on bone. The Celtics are 4-2 this season. One of the losses was in Phoenix where Javie called 2 technical fouls on Doc and tossed him and then called 2 on KG and tossed him as well as one each on Perk and Nate. No T's were called on the Suns although some were warranted. The 6 free throws and ejections ended a run by the Celtics and sealed the loss for them. Here is Doc's side of that ejection:
"He actually came into our huddle. We were standing there, he came up to us. I'll tell you exactly what was said. He said, 'You guys are complaining way too much.' And I said, 'Well, let's make the right calls.' And his answer back was, 'I'll make a call for you.' And that's how I got the tech... I didn't have any choice words for him. I didn't say a word. I didn't even swear then. You know what I said? 'It's about the game. It's not about one individual.' That's all I said, over and over again."
The Celtics are 7-3 in their last 10 with Javie calling the games. The Heat are also 7-3 in their last 10 with Javie. Javie's home W/L record is 34-20 this season.
Bob Delaney
Playoff Games: 5 (4 as lead, 1 as crew)
Home Team win % in playoffs: 50% as lead, 0% as crew
Fouls called per game: 46.3 as lead, 29 as crew
Percent of calls on Home Team: 44.8% as lead, 41.4% as crew
Technical fouls called per game: 1.5 as lead, 3.0 as crew
Delaney has officiated over 1,300 regular season games, 120+ play-off games and 7 NBA Finals games. Delaney was formerly a police officer. He worked under cover in an investigation of New Jersey organized crime and helped to bring a portion of the mob in that state down. Delaney has announced that this will be his final season as a ref as he plans to work on a movie about his experiences working under cover. While serving as a police officer, Delaney was also a high school basketball referee in New Jersey from 1972 to 1982 and later officiated in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) for four years before being selected by scouts to officiate in the NBA, beginning in 1987. The Celtics are 4-6 in their last 10 games with Delaney officiating and are 2-5 this season. The Heat are 6-1 this season and 8-2 with Delaney in their last 10 games. If you recall, it was Bob Delaney that Shaq was fined for calling out after the Celtics Christmas Day loss in Orlando. He was also terrible in the Denver game ignoring many Denver fouls including a flagrant by KMart on KG that should have been called. The Nuggets shot 23 free throws to just 15 for the Celtics. His home W/L record this season is 43-26
Bill Kennedy
Playoff Games: 6 (all as crew)
Home Team win % in playoffs: 100%
Fouls called per game: 42.3
Percent of calls on Home Team: 49.6%
Technical fouls called per game: 1.7
Celtics fans will remember Kennedy's run in with Doc Rivers that resulted in both of them being fined. Yes, David Stern fined one of his precious refs and certainly, Kennedy hasn't forgotten. Here is how Doc described the incident:
"[Kennedy] stood there and goaded me and goaded me and goaded me and stared at me," Rivers said. "Look at the film. I actually walked away. He asked me, 'Where do you want the ball?' And I said, 'Ask them,' talking about our players. That's my right to say that, and I walked away. He stood there and stared me down and stared me down and goaded me until I turned around and said, 'What?' That's when I got thrown out of the game."
Doc was fined for criticizing a referee, but since the league fined Kennedy, they as much as admitted that Doc's criticism was deserved. Go figure. According to Tim Donaghy, Bill Kennedy is gay and his beef with Doc stems from Doc questioning his sexual orientation. The Celtics are 3-1 this season and 6-4 over their last 10 games with Kennedy on the court. The Heat are 4-1 this season and 8-2 over their last 10 games with Kennedy calling the games. His home W/L record this season is 53-24