We are getting WORKED by the refs

[EJPLAYA]

It is easy to blame the refs, and there are definitely things we are doing that we shouldn't be that are major factors in these losses, but they really are killing us. We even breathe on a Hawk player anywhere on the court and they get a foul call. We get bumped on drives, rebounds, where ever and we get nothing. There is absolutely no excuse for a team that is as physical and grabby as the Hawks are to get a 47-25 free throw advantage. This is why people have conspiracy theories about the NBA. That call on PP was the most horrendous 6th foul on a starter I have seen in years. How do we win when we are playing 5 on 8...

[biggs1221]

Okay - plenty of blame can go on the players, coaches, etc.

But something has to be said about the officiating and free throw disparity.  It is pretty disgusting.  While there have been a lot of poor individual calls, the tenure of the officiating in general is problematic.  The Hawks use their hands and bodies A LOT on defense - both away from and on the ball - and in the rebounding action.

Anyway, while there has been a lot of poor play on the part of the C's, the officiating has also partly dictated the tenure and style of these games.

[RebusRankin]

This is a league where an official was caught by the FBI fixing games. Why the media doesn't make a bigger deal out of this I'll never know. I love basketball but more and more I hate the NBA.

[winsomme]

It is easy to blame the refs, and there are definitely things we are doing that we shouldn't be that are major factors in these losses, but they really are killing us. We even breathe on a Hawk player anywhere on the court and they get a foul call. We get bumped on drives, rebounds, where ever and we get nothing. There is absolutely no excuse for a team that is as physical and grabby as the Hawks are to get a 47-25 free throw advantage. This is why people have conspiracy theories about the NBA. That call on PP was the most horrendous 6th foul on a starter I have seen in years. How do we win when we are playing 5 on 8...

i have this weird feeling that they are making us earn our stripes at this point. they clearly are helping Atlanta stay in this series, but i think this will end up toughening us up for the CLE series...hopefully, anyway...

i really don't think there is any shame in this series going to seven. i hope the team isn't concerned too much about it.

there is no "close" in the playoffs....

[biggs1221]

I just made a similar post -

Aside from the atrocious individual calls / non calls, a huge problem is that the officials are unwilling to call anything away from the ball.  Every time I survey the court, the Hawks have their hands and bodies all over the C's.  For PP or Ray to even get to the ball is a task.

[bigtyc55]

its called "home-cooking" its a shame, but it happens in the NBA, on sunday we will get the calls that they don't get and we will not be complaining about the refs while the hawks will be getting screwed!

[CeltsGM21]

I completely agree.  I hate blaming a loss on the refs, but there was no way Pierce should be sitting with 6 fouls with that much time remaining.  I had a problem with almost every foul they called on Pierce, but that last one was just ridiculous and unnecessary.  You cannot argue that each Hawk run in each game in Atlanta was inspired by an awful call.

And i know that a lot of people will say, here we go, as soon as we lose, everyone rushes to blame the refs.  Well, those are probably the same people who rush to blame Doc after every loss.  The refs have been way too present in this series, and their calls have been so unbelievably lopsided that they just leave me shaking my head after every loss.  I'm sorry, but you can't deny that the refs have played some role in these losses.

[EJPLAYA]

its called "home-cooking" its a shame, but it happens in the NBA, on sunday we will get the calls that they don't get and we will not be complaining about the refs while the hawks will be getting screwed!

No we won't, because we have been getting screwed half the time at home as well. The difference is that we have been hitting shots better there and they don't have the home crowd to pump them up. I guarantee they won't need it though on Sunday. We will be lucky to get out of this series. I really am having major concerns about this looking like a championship team, let alone one who can get to the finals.

[mbrockma]

Just in case anyone was wondering, so far the Hawks are averaging 34 fta per game to the Celts 22.  Not to mention they have had more fta in every single game so far.  And 22 more tonight?  That's just not right.  It's like having to outscore the Hawks by at least 8 to win and overcome the free throw disadvantage.

[GroverTheClover]

its called "home-cooking" its a shame, but it happens in the NBA, on sunday we will get the calls that they don't get and we will not be complaining about the refs while the hawks will be getting screwed!

You'd think that wouldn't you. Looking at the free throw discrepancies really show where the bias really is. It doesn't matter if we're at home or on the road. The Hawks have shot more free throws than the Celtics by a large amount. Prior to tonight's game, the Hawks shot 33% more free throws than the Celtics. The FTA was 47 to 25 tonight. Forty-freakin-seven to twenty-five. More ticky-tack fouls have been called on the Celtics and are pushing us into the penalty earlier.

[tallpaul]

The officiating is not the reason this series will go to 7 games. A Cs fan complaining about "using body and hands on D" is silly - seeing how the Cs have played that exact physical D all year. Even the announcers have noted that the Hawks drive and slash to the hoop and the Cs jump shoot.

Look at it this way - with real estate and the stock market doing so badly, you have perhaps the greatest investment opportunity you'll see in a long time coming up on Sunday. Take the Cs.

[RebusRankin]

I completely agree.  I hate blaming a loss on the refs, but there was no way Pierce should be sitting with 6 fouls with that much time remaining.  I had a problem with almost every foul they called on Pierce, but that last one was just ridiculous and unnecessary.  You cannot argue that each Hawk run in each game in Atlanta was inspired by an awful call.

And i know that a lot of people will say, here we go, as soon as we lose, everyone rushes to blame the refs.  Well, those are probably the same people who rush to blame Doc after every loss.  The refs have been way too present in this series, and their calls have been so unbelievably lopsided that they just leave me shaking my head after every loss.  I'm sorry, but you can't deny that the refs have played some role in these losses.

Its a league where an official was caught fixing games for the MOB! Do you seriously not believe Stern is fixing games?

[NoraG1]

I am also sick of hearing the excuse that we don't get calls because we are a 'jump shooting team' I can understand a small disparity for that but the difference in most of these games is by double digits and I think that can't be justified. The disparity is just too large.

The difference is that when the C's play physical they get called for fouls. Atlanta plays phsyical does not get in foul trouble because of it. I would just like to see consistency on both ends. I have not seen it.

[GroverTheClover]

The officiating is not the reason this series will go to 7 games. A Cs fan complaining about "using body and hands on D" is silly - seeing how the Cs have played that exact physical D all year. Even the announcers have noted that the Hawks drive and slash to the hoop and the Cs jump shoot.

Look at it this way - with real estate and the stock market doing so badly, you have perhaps the greatest investment opportunity you'll see in a long time coming up on Sunday. Take the Cs.

The Celtics shot 29 layups, the Hawks 23.

[winsomme]

its called "home-cooking" its a shame, but it happens in the NBA, on sunday we will get the calls that they don't get and we will not be complaining about the refs while the hawks will be getting screwed!

No we won't, because we have been getting screwed half the time at home as well. The difference is that we have been hitting shots better there and they don't have the home crowd to pump them up. I guarantee they won't need it though on Sunday. We will be lucky to get out of this series. I really am having major concerns about this looking like a championship team, let alone one who can get to the finals.

EJ, this team is going to get a huge breath of fresh air if we can close out against the Hawks. i don't think there will be any lasting effects from this series (unless Pierce actually is hurt or something like that).

i think we will come out like a monster against the Cavs if we get there. and i think we will play really well on Sunday.