Celtics made mistakes, but the refs decided this game.

[fmf2]

What about the time Wade hit Rondo in the face as he was looking to start the break. RR had the ball below his shoulders, so how could it have been a reach in? THIS should have been a flagrant.

I thought the officials were inconsistent enough to affect the outcome. If they had been better, this would have at least been close down the stretch, and anything can happen at that point.

I wonder if the pendulum will swing in terms of how the next game is called.

Either way, Pierce, Baby and Rondo need to play better.

[dlpin]

Also, part of the reason the celtics made so many mistakes was BECAUSE of the refs.

James Jones went off in the second half precisely when the celtics had to adapt on the fly to Rondo's 3rd foul (as apparently letting someone fall on top of you is a fall). Rondo out just as Allen had barely sat meant the celtics went for a while without a natural 2 and James Jones scored 10 straight points.



In the 3rd, the celtics had just reduced a 19 point deficit to single digits when the flagrant foul came.


Same thing in the fourth: Paul Pierce had single handedly shaved 5 points off the heat lead in 1 minute and got thrown out.


What do all these things have in common? The worst stretches by the celtics came immediately following bad calls, when the celtics either let the refs get in their heads or overadjusted their playing style.

Bad 3rd foul call on Rondo? Heat go on a 9-0 run
Bad flagrant on JO? Heat go on a 9-0 run
Bad Pierce ejection? Celtics go without a point for 2 minutes (while pierce score 7 in the minute before his ejection).


Change these bad calls and the way the celtics reacted to them and it is a completely different game.

[manbehindtheman]

The refs didn't help us by any means, but we were down double digits before that.

Truthfully, Pierce should have been ejected on the first tech and I'll be surprised if he isn't suspended for Game 2.  It's literally the exact same thing ZaZa from Atlanta got suspended for in the last series against Orlando

I agree with this analysis.  I don't accept excuses about the refs being terrible.  We had chances to win this game but we did not execute and the Heat did.

[dlpin]

The refs didn't help us by any means, but we were down double digits before that.

Truthfully, Pierce should have been ejected on the first tech and I'll be surprised if he isn't suspended for Game 2.  It's literally the exact same thing ZaZa from Atlanta got suspended for in the last series against Orlando

So this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMF-uGCzSGc&feature=player_detailpage#t=18s

is the exact same thing as this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyh7NB2pVyY&feature=player_detailpage#t=40s


In what world?

[indeedproceed]

Refs were awful, that James Jones foul should've been a flagrant (if Rondo's was earlier), and the Celtics should've been compensated as such.

That said, the Celtics lost this game, not the refs.

[Vermont Green]

Lebron got fouled twice very hard in the first Qtr by Rondo and KG.  He didn't didn't get in anyone's face or shoot off his mouth.  Pierce got fouled hard and did.  I am not saying they were great calls by the ref but there are other ways that Pierce can show his toughness if that is what he needs to do.

Also, this is shaping up to be a great series.  The Celtics are going to have their hands full with this team but if we get even a few breaks, we certainly can take them.

[j804]

Enough is enough we need Shaq or well be on vacation soon

Less Baby more Shaq doggone it

[Celticsfan336]

Enough is enough we need Shaq or well be on vacation soon

Less Baby more Shaq doggone it

Less Baby in general, more JO and JG.

Shaq would be nice, i expect him to play in game 2.

[jdpapa3]

The celts played horribly when Rondo was off the floor. Rondo was off the floor because of poor reffing. The two things went hand in hand in this one.

[dlpin]

The celts played horribly when Rondo was off the floor. Rondo was off the floor because of poor reffing. The two things went hand in hand in this one.

Exactly. TP.


People need to stop acting as if refereeing is somehow unrelated to how the team plays.

Given how physical the celtics are on defense, no other team in the league is perhaps as dependent on fair officiating as they are.

[TerreHaute]

We really need to try to get to the line more. I know that we will not be able to drive as much as they do because of their athleticism advantage, but when we do we have to try to get some contact and get to the line. They drove the ball and got to the line because they tried to. We didn't. That isn't a referee problem.

That said, the refs were terrible, too.

[dlpin]

We really need to try to get to the line more. I know that we will not be able to drive as much as they do because of their athleticism advantage, but when we do we have to try to get some contact and get to the line. They drove the ball and got to the line because they tried to. We didn't. That isn't a referee problem.

That said, the refs were terrible, too.

Huh? I think I watched a different game.

The celtics scored just as many points in the paint as the heat did. All but 1 of Rondos FGA were in the paint.

[cdif911]

The celts played horribly when Rondo was off the floor. Rondo was off the floor because of poor reffing. The two things went hand in hand in this one.

wrapping up Lebron was Rondo's fault, not the refs

[TerreHaute]

We really need to try to get to the line more. I know that we will not be able to drive as much as they do because of their athleticism advantage, but when we do we have to try to get some contact and get to the line. They drove the ball and got to the line because they tried to. We didn't. That isn't a referee problem.

That said, the refs were terrible, too.

Huh? I think I watched a different game.

The celtics scored just as many points in the paint as the heat did. All but 1 of Rondos FGA were in the paint.

We scored on jumpshots and post moves. Most of those were not of the going to the basket variety. They got theirs on dribble drives to the lane and rim, which will lead to more fouls. I am only saying we need to do a bit more of the same, or use some head fakes to get guys in the air and get fouled on the way down.

[dlpin]

We scored on jumpshots and post moves. Most of those were not of the going to the basket variety. They got theirs on dribble drives to the lane and rim, which will lead to more fouls. I am only saying we need to do a bit more of the same, or use some head fakes to get guys in the air and get fouled on the way down.

Most of Rondo's and Green's misses were driving to the basket. West had a handful of drive attempts as well. We just missed a bunch of those drives because of contact or otherwise.