If I was trying to guard LeBron (probably the most impressive physical freak in the league since Shaq in his prime) I'd probably have to foul him a lot too. Not surprised that Pierce (with a sprained MCL) has to resort to hacking the dude either.
Anyone got a video of the fouls that sent LeBron to the line? It's enough of an issue with you guys that you'd think someone would just look at them one-by-one. Chances are, you'll realize almost all of them were legitimate fouls. Sometimes we were tying him up before he barely even got past half-court. Guy is a beast.
I'll point just 1 out that wasn't legitimate and then get to my point....when LBJ and Rondo both went for the ball and he's practically lying on top of Rondo they called the foul on Rondo when it clearly should have been on James, he went to the free throw line on that call.
The issue is not the number of legitimate fouls(and all were not) called on the Celtics,it is how many legitimate calls against Miami were missed or never called by the officials. Listening to most of the "Miami cheerleading squad" formerly known as ESPN & NBATV analysts and commentators, and even Celtics fans that chose to take the "high road" of dismissing the unfair officiating one would be led to believe that we did nothing but shoot jumpshots most of the night which is what led to such a glaring free throw disparity & that simply is not the case. As it was pointed out in another thread here, the difference between our attacks to the basket & theirs was: Celtics 25 to Miami's 26.
Rondo was not the only Celtic attacking the basket yet somehow (if my memory serves me correctly) he was 1 of only 3 players from our team to get to the free throw line at all in the 1st half. When Pierce, Bass, etc were attacking the basket there was just as much contact as there was when the Heat were getting calls yet the officials were swallowing their whistles. On that 'oh so great' "block" that DirtyWade had on Ray there was clearly a foul that was not called as well as when LBJ "blocked" Rondo & knocked him to the ground & there really is no need to debate the most obvious DirtyWade non-call on Rondo in OT with momentum swinging in our favor, and that's just to name a few.
We as NBA fans ( for me not so much so after the last many years of blatant fixing of games in favor of a chosen few teams) & more importantly as Celtics fans should not just arbritrarily dismiss the obvious bias of the refs towards the annointed winner of NOTHING simply to avoid being labeled a whiner, homer or hater.
LBJ is a great stat stuffer, and even a great player, but not nearly as great as people try to make him out to be IMHO. He's the NBA's cash cow right now,so for them, that appearantly warrants him getting called for a mere 2 fouls per game while being touted as a great defender and whether on legitimate calls or not being able to go to free throw line 24 times in a playoff game. If anyone wants to chock it up to him being a "beast", fine, have at it.....I on the other hand believe what my eyes are telling me & where there's smoke there is fire when it comes to this officiating thing.
Topic: even Felger/Mazz think the officiating killed us.. (Read 5555 times)