Cleveland signs smith & 3 REFS..!

[liam]

This game actually started off with great officiating, I thought. Two physical teams, let them play, let the bad calls you do have be missed calls rather than contrived ones, and be consistent for both teams.

It seemed like after the BBD flagrant the refs decided the C's didn't deserve any more calls, because it went from being called perfectly to absurdly out of nowhere.

I thought the same thing. I almost posted something to that effect and then... How many no calls on going to the hole can I watch. That call when they had Labron trapped on the side line and they give him the big bailout call. The call against the Cavs on Rondo to breakup our breakaway.  Powe not to the floor no play made on the ball no flagrant 1 or two. I could go on and on. Foul by LeBron on Ray going to the hole but Ray gets the ball back and scores anyway. That back pick on Rondo was brutal, Didn't KG get a foul on that in the Atlanta series? Rondo is one tough SOB.

[cordialb]

TP for making me laugh. 

I'm really loving how BBD is coming along.  I'm also inclined to think Moore > smith.  I'm loving his heart, hustle, and quick feet.  I really like his attitude too.

[fairweatherfan]

I'd love to see one of our resident YouTubers put together a montage of all the awful calls/no-calls we've dealt with over the past year and a half.  If this is ever going to change, the league's going to have to be publicly embarrassed first.

Uh.... I thought that is what happened this summer when Donaghy was caught betting on games.  If they weren't publicly embarrassed then, then I don't know what could embarrass them.   I believe that Stern is going to need to be replaced as commissioner before anything is done about the officiating.

 Donaghy made the allegation that the refs were given orders from the league office to influence games and gave instances and names and it would seem that the numbers and instances backed up what he said but Stern supposedly investigated and everything was rosy.  If he is the one giving the orders to the refs as Donaghy said, why would anything change with him still in charge?   

The problem with Donaghy is that no one trusts the word of a criminal trying to save his own skin and the league did a masterful job of glossing over any specifics (what exactly did Donaghy do to influence specific games?  Which games?  It's never come out in any official channel that I know of).

What I meant is that the fans will need to begin to publicize the lousy officiating in such a way that makes it clear that the incompetence and pettiness isn't one bad apple, or one favored team or player, it's systematic and it's constant.  A gambling scandal can be confined to the guilty parties, but the problem isn't corruption, it's refs who are bad at their jobs and unwritten rules among refs that lead to inconsistent officiating.

[guava_wrench]

Great game. The refs let a lot of stuff go, and that is always what we want.

Mikki sure does foul a lot! But that's fine, since we like to push teams around.

[Rondo_is_better]

I was at the game-- it was the worst I've seen in a long time, at least in person.

Some perspective: With 9:32 to go in the 4th quarter, we were in the penalty. The Cavs had one foul to our six. When's the last time any team got over the limit in two and a half minutes of play?

38 to 12 freethrows.

We had more points in the paint. We drove an equal amount, or more than the Cavs.

38 to 12.

I had a cleveland fan sitting next to me. He clapped after every call, except for when Ray lost the ball, had it bounce off of Lebron, and then got it back and hit the layup. He was screaming for a travel. When Leon got that tough and one towards the end of the game, though, I stood up and made a huge scene, and that shut him up. Great win.  

[guava_wrench]

You mention a bunch of numbers. So what?

We had Mikki Moore in the game. Mikki even got away with a few that they didn't call. Mikki is a foul machine. Put Mikki in the game and you will get to 5 team fouls quite quick.

I though Mikki did a good job, but it is common knowledge that he is a foul machine.

Another point. One reason Clev had a harder time scoring in the paint is that we would rather batter them and put them at the line. I will take the fouls over easy points. It makes it harder for the other team to get into a rhythm when they can't shoot.

[Scalablob990]

Lakers still have the two All stars Dick Bevetta and Joey Crawford playing for them.

[Scalablob990]

You mention a bunch of numbers. So what?

We had Mikki Moore in the game. Mikki even got away with a few that they didn't call. Mikki is a foul machine. Put Mikki in the game and you will get to 5 team fouls quite quick.

I though Mikki did a good job, but it is common knowledge that he is a foul machine.

Another point. One reason Clev had a harder time scoring in the paint is that we would rather batter them and put them at the line. I will take the fouls over easy points. It makes it harder for the other team to get into a rhythm when they can't shoot.

The one where Mo jumped into him tho was complete *******t you gotta agree on THAT one at least.

[twinbree]

LOL. TP for the title. The FT disparity does look egregious. The home game against the Mavs was 36-12 and I thought I wouldn't see a worse ratio the rest of the season. Its mind-boggling the Celtics won the PINP battle with only 9-12 FT.

[kenmaine]

I'd love to see one of our resident YouTubers put together a montage of all the awful calls/no-calls we've dealt with over the past year and a half.  If this is ever going to change, the league's going to have to be publicly embarrassed first.

Uh.... I thought that is what happened this summer when Donaghy was caught betting on games.  If they weren't publicly embarrassed then, then I don't know what could embarrass them.   I believe that Stern is going to need to be replaced as commissioner before anything is done about the officiating.

 Donaghy made the allegation that the refs were given orders from the league office to influence games and gave instances and names and it would seem that the numbers and instances backed up what he said but Stern supposedly investigated and everything was rosy.  If he is the one giving the orders to the refs as Donaghy said, why would anything change with him still in charge?   

The problem with Donaghy is that no one trusts the word of a criminal trying to save his own skin and the league did a masterful job of glossing over any specifics (what exactly did Donaghy do to influence specific games?  Which games?  It's never come out in any official channel that I know of).

What I meant is that the fans will need to begin to publicize the lousy officiating in such a way that makes it clear that the incompetence and pettiness isn't one bad apple, or one favored team or player, it's systematic and it's constant.  A gambling scandal can be confined to the guilty parties, but the problem isn't corruption, it's refs who are bad at their jobs and unwritten rules among refs that lead to inconsistent officiating.

Agreed for the most part, but it's more than just imcompetence. The blatant pushing for a Kobe-LeBron finals puts the NBA really close to the WWE in terms of integrity.
And as the saying goes(I think it was Sancho Panza who first said it), a fish rots from the head down.
Stern is the B. Madoff of the NBA- and we fans are investing our emotions in a scam.
 But as long as the C's can outplay everyone by what should be about 30 points a game, they still have a chance to win it again.

And a big TP to the OP, awesome title, thanks for giving us all a laugh.

[connerhenry43]

The problem with Donaghy is that no one trusts the word of a criminal trying to save his own skin and the league did a masterful job of glossing over any specifics (what exactly did Donaghy do to influence specific games?  Which games?  It's never come out in any official channel that I know of).

What I meant is that the fans will need to begin to publicize the lousy officiating in such a way that makes it clear that the incompetence and pettiness isn't one bad apple, or one favored team or player, it's systematic and it's constant.  A gambling scandal can be confined to the guilty parties, but the problem isn't corruption, it's refs who are bad at their jobs and unwritten rules among refs that lead to inconsistent officiating.

good point, but i trust stern about as far as i can throw him. there is no doubt in my mind the nba is angling for a clev-lal finals.

if anything, the donaghy scandal gave stern more confidence to push his agendas. the worst possible scenario unfolded and it went away with very little fanfare. stern knows he can survive anything, even a ref admitting he was fixing games while the commish sat in an office worreid about how the game is developing in foreign countries,  dress codes,  changing the basketball, and whatever useless issues stern concerns himself with.

[Spfldkid]

It could very well have been like you said...the refs wanted to keep this one close, you see when people bet, it is on the point spread....hmmmm, then it makes more sense. M Moore didn't foul much, he played the same as anyone......I was very critical of him at first and now I really like what he brings..He belongs here because he plays the way we want....the dirties player out there was probably Varajao...and what Lebron did to Rondo was inexcusable...that is why we need an enforcer...he picked off the smallest guy on our team...in his day, you know what Tommy H would do to him....!  Where is Greg Kite..?

[butterbeanlove]

Hahaha, you guys are great...! Anytime anyone wants to hang out and watch the game, say so...meet me at the Independent in Union Sq Somerville....i currently have too much time on my hands.,..I know...but thanks for the TP''S...!!!

The Independent is pretty [dang] solid. Great beer list and the pork sandwich is tasty. My GF who lives in Somerville is out of town so I won't be over there for a week or two. Also, I can't afford to pay for $5 beers, no matter how tasty, in this economy.  Maybe after I get my IRS refund.

[Bankshot]

Anyone see the Cleveland/Miami game last night?  Cleveland was winning by nearly 20 points.  Miami started to come back.  Wade goes to the hoop, gets banged by Verajao, but not call.  Wade complains, gets a tech (his 2nd) and thrown from the game.  Comeback thwarted!  The refs and Cleveland win again.   Looks like the refs are trying to clear the path for the Cavs to make the finals.   They aren't letting any team get in the way.  The Celtics were just too good for Cleveland and the refs Friday night.

[housecall]

Anyone see the Cleveland/Miami game last night?  Cleveland was winning by nearly 20 points.  Miami started to come back.  Wade goes to the hoop, gets banged by Verajao, but not call.  Wade complains, gets a tech (his 2nd) and thrown from the game.  Comeback thwarted!  The refs and Cleveland win again.   Looks like the refs are trying to clear the path for the Cavs to make the finals.   They aren't letting any team get in the way.  The Celtics were just too good for Cleveland and the refs Friday night.

I saw it and agree,this has been happening for awhile with the Cavs and refs...recently,almost the same thing happened to the Hawks,Bucks.Others teams throughout the season have suffered some of this too.When teams have been down to the cavs in the 4th and the momentum switches it never fails,the refs either do not make the correct calls(last night), or they make some suspect calls aganist the comeback team.