Celtics (4-0) at Heat (4-1) 5/1 Round 2 Game 1

[Jon]

I keep scouring the internet, and still no word on Shaq. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

Pflanns Paul Flannery
Your officials for Miami-Boston, Game 1: Dan Crawford, Derrick Collins and Ed Malloy.

[FLCeltsFan]

Official Report

Dan Crawford

Playoff games: 6

Home Team Win %: .667

Fouls called per game: 44

% of fouls called on road team 52%

Dan Crawford has been a referee in the NBA since the 1984-85 season. Prior to the NBA, Crawford officiated in high school for 12 years, 8 years at the collegiate level (MVC and CCAC) and 4 years in the CBA. He has officiated 1,600+ regular season games, 190+ play-off games and 18 NBA Finals games. After one of the games in Chicago in round 1 in 2008, there was some controversy when he was seen leaving the arena with his family all decked out in Chicago Bulls gear. He's been in the news lately because he has been accused of having a bias against Marc Cuban because the Mavs are 2-16 in games officiated by Crawford. The Celtics are 6-1 this season and are 7-3 over their last 10 game with Crawford officiating. The loss this season was the last Miami game in which the Heat shot 42  free throws to 26 for theCeltics, but then again the Celtics did not play well in that game.  The Heat are 2-2 this season and 5-5 in their last 10 with Crawford on the court.   Crawford is a homer ref with a home team W/L record of 55-21.

Derrick Collins

Playoff games: 2

Home Team Win %: .000

Fouls called per game: 50

% of fouls called on road team 51%

Collins has been an official in the league for 9 years. He has experience in the CBA five years and in the WNBA three years. He has also officiated 7 years on the collegiate level and seven years on the high school level in California and Louisiana. The Celtics are 3-3 with Collins this season and 6-4 in their last 10 games. In all 6 games this season, the Celtics took fewer free throws than their opponents. The Nets and Lakers games were particularly poorly officiated.  The Heat are 4-0 this season and 8-2 in their last 10 games with Collins.  His home W/L record this season is 40-30.

Ed Malloy

Playoff games: 4

Home Team Win %: .75

Fouls called per game: 48.5

% of fouls called on road team 52.1%

Ed Malloy has officiated over 230+ regular season games. Controversy between Malloy and Doc Rivers goes way back. In 2003, when Doc was with Orlando, Malloy called a technical foul on Andrew DeClercq for staring. Doc called it one of the worst calls he ever saw (boy has he seen a lot worse since then!)and he said that he felt that Malloy had been intimidated all night. Fast forward to the Celtics game in Utah this season when Malloy, no longer intimidated, called 2 quick technicals on Doc and ejected him. Here is Doc's version of those calls.

    “I just told Ed [Malloy], please keep officiating the game,” said Rivers. “That’s all I said. I thought the play before [the technical] was a clear travel in front of him. So I just said, ‘Hey Ed, it’d be nice if you’d keep officiating throughout.’ He gave me a tech. Then I said, ‘That’s the best call you’ve made all night.’ Usually, it’s nice to earn them, but [Monday's technicals were] another bad call.”

Malloy was also on the crew that officiated game 1 of the Miami series in last year's playoffs where 5 technicals were called and Kevin Garnett was ejected. The Celtics are 7-1 this season and 9-1 in their last 10 games with Malloy as an official. He was terrible in the Golden State game where the Warriors had taken 26 free throws to 6 for the Celtic with about 8 minutes left in the game. The final numbers were 28-11 after several intentional fouls gave the Celtics a few more free throws.  The Heat are 1-1 this season and 1-9 over their last 10 games with Malloy as a ref.    His home W/L record is 44-32.

[JBcat]

Our stars have basically played 4 games in 3 weeks with the last week off, 4 game sweep, and resting the last week of the season.   

So it might feel like almost a training camp for them in the sense they come out rejuvenated.   As we all know the last 4 years the Celtics came out storming to start the season when they were fresh.   Lets hope they have the same feeling!

Lets go Celtics! 

[barefacedmonk]

I'm nervous about this one.

[celticinorlando]

I'm nervous about this one.

Nervous indeed

[Marcus13]

 the key to beating the Heat is beating their brains in on the glass. If you kill them on the glass you kill their transition game, get their defense out of wack, and make them a one and done jump shooting half court team.

When the Heat out-rebound their opponents they pretty much never lose.

[Jon]

Anyone hear anything on Shaq yet?

[fairweatherfan]

After a week off, there's a strong chance the team will come out rusty, especially if we're trying to work Shaq in as well.  It might look ugly out there for a little while, but I'm confident we'll pull it together by the end.

[Jon]

After a week off, there's a strong chance the team will come out rusty, especially if we're trying to work Shaq in as well.  It might look ugly out there for a little while, but I'm confident we'll pull it together by the end.

I tend to agree; however, two minor counterpoints:

1. Miami has been off since Tuesday, which is also quite a bit of a layoff.  So any momentum they might have is likely gone too. 

2. This team is old.  This is the longest they've had off since the season began.  They could also have very fresh legs and remind us more of first half team than the second half. 

[fairweatherfan]

After a week off, there's a strong chance the team will come out rusty, especially if we're trying to work Shaq in as well.  It might look ugly out there for a little while, but I'm confident we'll pull it together by the end.

I tend to agree; however, two minor counterpoints:

1. Miami has been off since Tuesday, which is also quite a bit of a layoff.  So any momentum they might have is likely gone too. 

2. This team is old.  This is the longest they've had off since the season began.  They could also have very fresh legs and remind us more of first half team than the second half. 

Miami played on Wednesday - not a big difference, but about half of our layoff. 

And I think the rest will make us fresher in the long run, but for Game 1 teams with long layoffs tend to come out flat, especially vet teams like ours.  I'm glad we got the chance to rest, but it may take time to get into the groove if Miami comes out aggressive.

Mostly just trying to head off the rampant game thread pessimism before it begins    This is gonna be a brawl of a series no matter how Game 1 starts.

[JT11]

Watching the pregame practice...Rondo just made three jumpers in a row, y'all. It's gonna be a good game. 

[Chief]

Watching the pregame practice...Rondo just made three jumpers in a row, y'all. It's gonna be a good game. 

Shaq?

[JT11]

Watching the pregame practice...Rondo just made three jumpers in a row, y'all. It's gonna be a good game. 

Shaq?

Unless he's hiding behind the hoop, no Shaq. 

[FLCeltsFan]

Mike Miller is active and will play according to Spoelstra