Disappointing comments from Paul George

[Finkelskyhook]

i'm not making excuses for George or the pacers because they suck regardless of the fouls. but I mentioned in the game thread "I saw LeBron get double-teamed, turn around and push George 2 feet." while the ref was standing right there and no call.

I know no one likes to hear "don't blame the refs" or "cry about fouls" but this has been the worst playoffs for refs imo since the kings/lakers.

It's interesting -- I don't recall reading a post like this from you during Game 1.

are you being sarcastic because I've been on the refs this whole post-season?

I have I know. the officiating is a big deal to me because they can be better, they have no reason not to be better, they should be the best out of all the major sports instead they are the most shady. shouldn't happen if they're full-time officials.

but with that said I normally don't like teams/players to complain about the refs. because imo if you let the game come down to officiating you're probably going to lose.

No, I just didn't see you post. I agree that the refs should be better -- my personal axe to grind there is an age cap in regards to on-the-floor refereeing.

yeah i'm pretty sure I missed game 1...I forget...i'm old. but i'm pretty sure I picked the heat to win in 7...I was wrong, I figured the "Hibbert Dynamic" plus the Pacers want to beat the Heat would have made it a competitive series.

as far as the age cap goes i'm not sure that's relative. during the reg. season I've seen plenty of young refs make bad calls or not make calls they should.

it's sports I don't expect to agree with every call made or not made. but the egregious calls or non-calls that take place right in front of refs is inexcusable and the NBA is losing it's legitimacy as a pro sport and bordering on falling into that "Sports Entertainment" genre.

the last game between the Spurs/Thunder, if the Thunder had lost that game the calls on Perk would have been a pretty big story because they were so egregious. but they won and no ones talking about it. because "Yay! Its a series now".

would not be surprised to see more egregious officiating in the finals. but by then they'll have the Donald Sterling issue to use to gloss over and distract everyone...again.       

Game 1, of course, was the game when the Pacers had a +22 free throw advantage over the Heat. I'm not surprised that the conspiracy contingent wasn't louder 

Well...I guess it's OK for them to make up for it the rest of the series?

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

This Pacers team continually leaves me shaking my head. So many missed opportunities--lots of open shots missed, many from close range; so many silly turnovers; so much bad defense.

This series has confirmed some things for me:

1) Paul George is not an elite player, nor is he likely to ever be one. Players who have a killer instinct have it from the beginning of their career; they don't just suddenly develop it several years in (yes, I'm talking to you, Jeff Green). Something this Pacers team desperately needs is a go-to guy, a Paul Pierce type who can get points when no one else can, when the team is in dire need of a basket; George had that opportunity last night, and in other games this series, and just hasn't done it. He's a good player, but not a superstar. Time for Bird to go find one.

2) The Pacers should jettison Roy Hibbert. He's just not that good. Way too inconsistent. Considering how big he is, he doesn't contribute enough offense or rebounding (at least, not when it really counts). He played 30 minutes a game this season and average only 6.6 rebounds--and he's 7-2, 290 pounds.

3) As long as "prime LeBron" is in the Eastern Conference, this Pacers team isn't getting past the conference finals. Sure, they'll win lots of games during the regular season, and get past the first round of the playoffs (usually), and if Bird and Pacers fans are content with season after season of good teams that don't sniff the Finals, they should stand pat. But if they want a title, big changes are in order.

[gpap]

I could definitely see Indiana being interested in Rondo this summer, if Rondo is on the block.

Indy badly needs a point guard.

Like another fan mentioned a while back, suddenly a Rondo for Hibbert trade could make alot of sense for both teams.

Celts need a center, Pacers need a point guard.

Both teams, of course, need a center and a point guard.  The better move for the Celtics would be to get a center to go along with our star point guard, not to trade him in for a center.

Just sayin Celts/Pacers could match up well in a trade this summer.

[GreenWarrior]

i'm not making excuses for George or the pacers because they suck regardless of the fouls. but I mentioned in the game thread "I saw LeBron get double-teamed, turn around and push George 2 feet." while the ref was standing right there and no call.

I know no one likes to hear "don't blame the refs" or "cry about fouls" but this has been the worst playoffs for refs imo since the kings/lakers.

It's interesting -- I don't recall reading a post like this from you during Game 1.

are you being sarcastic because I've been on the refs this whole post-season?

I have I know. the officiating is a big deal to me because they can be better, they have no reason not to be better, they should be the best out of all the major sports instead they are the most shady. shouldn't happen if they're full-time officials.

but with that said I normally don't like teams/players to complain about the refs. because imo if you let the game come down to officiating you're probably going to lose.

No, I just didn't see you post. I agree that the refs should be better -- my personal axe to grind there is an age cap in regards to on-the-floor refereeing.

yeah i'm pretty sure I missed game 1...I forget...i'm old. but i'm pretty sure I picked the heat to win in 7...I was wrong, I figured the "Hibbert Dynamic" plus the Pacers want to beat the Heat would have made it a competitive series.

as far as the age cap goes i'm not sure that's relative. during the reg. season I've seen plenty of young refs make bad calls or not make calls they should.

it's sports I don't expect to agree with every call made or not made. but the egregious calls or non-calls that take place right in front of refs is inexcusable and the NBA is losing it's legitimacy as a pro sport and bordering on falling into that "Sports Entertainment" genre.

the last game between the Spurs/Thunder, if the Thunder had lost that game the calls on Perk would have been a pretty big story because they were so egregious. but they won and no ones talking about it. because "Yay! Its a series now".

would not be surprised to see more egregious officiating in the finals. but by then they'll have the Donald Sterling issue to use to gloss over and distract everyone...again.       

Game 1, of course, was the game when the Pacers had a +22 free throw advantage over the Heat. I'm not surprised that the conspiracy contingent wasn't louder 

if I had seen that game and seen egregious calls or non-calls I would have had no problem pointing out the bad officiating. I don't care about any other team than the Celtics, so i'm not pulling for another team. and find it easier to spot bad play, bad officiating when i'm not rooting for someone.

hell, there were bad fouls on the spurs in that last game as well. i'm not saying the officials are favoring one team or one player over anyone. dictating how the series plays out? possibly. but i'm saying the officiating is just bad regardless of who's winning or who's losing.

[mmmmm]

You don't have to believe in any conspiracy to acknowledge that the officiating in the NBA is just plain awful.

Incompetence explains the results just fine.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

You don't have to believe in any conspiracy to acknowledge that the officiating in the NBA is just plain awful.

Incompetence explains the results just fine.

Yeah, your sig says it all. 

[GreenWarrior]

You don't have to believe in any conspiracy to acknowledge that the officiating in the NBA is just plain awful.

Incompetence explains the results just fine.

Yeah, your sig says it all. 

it does though.

I personally would not make such a big deal about the officiating if they were part-timers like other sports. but they're not they're full-time. they should be a lot better than they are. I wish someone had the guts to do some investigation as to how these officials are trained and what exactly they do during the off-season.

but that will never happen because there will always be a story to distract everyone from making this a subject.

[fairweatherfan]

You don't have to believe in any conspiracy to acknowledge that the officiating in the NBA is just plain awful.

Incompetence explains the results just fine.

I'd like to see the officiating improved, but it's not like there's a secret reserve of super-competent officials that the NBA is suppressing.  When the officials and league administrators keep (slowly) changing and the same issues exist, it's gotta be partly the culture of the officiating - mainly the unofficial rule set that applies to their unofficial role as game managers - and partly that the game is very difficult to call well in real time.

On a positive note, the league has made one very helpful set of changes - thanks to the backboard lights and replay, the refs basically never get a buzzer-beater wrong any more, which wasn't true back in the day.  Since those are plays that literally decide games, I'm glad there's virtually no error there anymore.

[D.o.s.]

You don't have to believe in any conspiracy to acknowledge that the officiating in the NBA is just plain awful.

Incompetence explains the results just fine.

Yeah, your sig says it all. 

it does though.

I personally would not make such a big deal about the officiating if they were part-timers like other sports. but they're not they're full-time. they should be a lot better than they are. I wish someone had the guts to do some investigation as to how these officials are trained and what exactly they do during the off-season.

but that will never happen because there will always be a story to distract everyone from making this a subject.

Oooh Oooh it's chemtrails, isn't it?

[Celtics4ever]

thoughts on Rondo for Hibbert and drafting a PG?

[Larry for 3]

thoughts on Rondo for Hibbert and drafting a PG?

I like it, it's not option 1 but it's on the table. Bird loves Rondo and I think Hibbert needs a change of scenery. I have thought about this as well, very intreging.

[pearljammer10]

I could definitely see Indiana being interested in Rondo this summer, if Rondo is on the block.

Indy badly needs a point guard.

Like another fan mentioned a while back, suddenly a Rondo for Hibbert trade could make alot of sense for both teams.

Celts need a center, Pacers need a point guard.

Hibbert makes no sense for Boston in that situation.

Just sayin', Celts need a center, Pacers need a point guard and I could easily see the Pacers trying to unload Hibbert.

I think the question then becomes, does Hibbert get it together with a new team or does he remain as ineffective as he is right now?

Hibbert really only makes sense for the Celtics is Rondo is still on the team and we are looking at contending on the fly. Hibbert surely can't be a franchise centerpiece on his own, so bringing him on while getting rid of Rondo doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

I hear what you're saying about bringing him in while getting rid of Rondo... but franchise centerpieces aren't available in a trade for Rondo.  Hibbert is 27 years old, can be a dominant player at his position, and is a classic buy-low candidate right now which is what a smart GM will always do.  If you have that center in place, serviceable-good point guards are much easier to find than good centers.  Kyle Lowry could have been had for a bag of chips last season.

So Hibbert is in the "classic buy-low" player category and we are going to trade our Championship winning, all-star caliber point guard for him....


Wait....what?

[GreenWarrior]

You don't have to believe in any conspiracy to acknowledge that the officiating in the NBA is just plain awful.

Incompetence explains the results just fine.

Yeah, your sig says it all. 

it does though.

I personally would not make such a big deal about the officiating if they were part-timers like other sports. but they're not they're full-time. they should be a lot better than they are. I wish someone had the guts to do some investigation as to how these officials are trained and what exactly they do during the off-season.

but that will never happen because there will always be a story to distract everyone from making this a subject.

Oooh Oooh it's chemtrails, isn't it?

I wouldn't put it past the NBA...to use that as an excuse.

[D.o.s.]

Well done, sir. Well done.

[Celtics4ever]

The refs are bums and miss tons of calls and call the game differently for the stars and heavily marketed players.   What is not to like there?   A lot.   I thought maybe with instant replay they might fear getting call in a wrong call more but heck they still make a bad call, see they are wrong and let the call stand again and again.

Some of them get personal as well just ask Tim Duncan about Joey Crawford.   That is the epitome of unprofessional and not a person I want doing games.