It’s ironic the national story is the refs gave the Cs the game

[libermaniac]

http://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/21910742
Talk about tuning in late. That game was one of the worst called games AGAINST the Cs I’ve seen all year.

What about:

- Two bad charging calls against Boston where the rockets were still moving in the first half
- A horrible blocking call on Baynes when his feet were clearly set
- The horrible foul call that led to 4 bogus points because of the technicals on Morris and Brad?

There is NO WAY the refs gave the Cs this game. Harden is a fool for complaining.

[Chris22]

The mollycoddling of players like Harden and Lebron should be the national story.

Horford and Smart were fouled on the previous plays with no calls.

The refs let Harden take three steps all the time, and he complains about the refs. Sheesh.

[Granath]

In the stories I've read the national story is that Harden had a meltdown and that both calls were fine. If ESPN has some talking heads stating otherwise it's simply to drum up ratings.

[CelticD]

The national story I keep reading is that the Rockets shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. Harden wasn't complaining about the refs when they were up 26.

Refs made a couple of mistakes down the stretch that favored the C's, but when you're up 26 the excuses go out the window.

[KGBirdBias]

SMH, Harden shot 15 FTs and the Rockets shot 31 FTs.

Let's talk about the 9 shots the Rockets hit in the 2nd half.

These stars look real petty whining about calls. They are the benefit of a ton of calls so it's even.

Don't lose a 26 point lead.

[Ilikesports17]

Posted this earlier, but the numbers don't suggest Houston was on the short end of the officiating stick.

Fouls: Rockets 23, Celtics 22
Free Throws: Rockets 31, Celtics 24
Points in the Paint: Rockets 28, Celtics 56

[jpotter33]

Those were legitimate offensive fouls, not flops, and I think pretty much everyone agrees with that. Hell, even the entire Inside the NBA show agreed, which was surprising.

However, in retrospect Smart got away with a pretty blatant travel on that late Tatum dunk. But they never really call those types of travels anyways.

This is why the focus on the last two minutes is stupid. The game was called inconsistently both ways all game long, so why just focus on the last two minutes? Most likely it’s because the league doesn’t want to highlight how many bad or missed calls occur every game.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Those were legitimate offensive fouls, not flops, and I think pretty much everyone agrees with that. Hell, even the entire Inside the NBA show agreed, which was surprising.

However, in retrospect Smart got away with a pretty blatant travel on that late Tatum dunk. But they never really call those types of travels anyways.

This is why the focus on the last two minutes is stupid. The game was called inconsistently both ways all game long, so why just focus on the last two minutes? Most likely it’s because the league doesn’t want to highlight how many bad or missed calls occur every game.

I noticed that too when I was replaying the highlights!! Reminded me of that Kendrick Perkins 7- or 8-step travel that was featured on Shaqtin' a Fool a couple years ago when Perk was playing for Cleveland.

And I agree that the report on the last two minutes is silly; it plays into the notion that the last 5% of the game is more important than the other 95%.

[fairweatherfan]

I'm comfortable with the story being that lousy officiating detracted from a crazy, fun game. The officiating was pretty bad, especially with only 2 present.

But I haven't seen much suggesting the refs gave it to us, outside of cranky Rockets supporters and Celtics antifa(ns).

[manl_lui]

if you can somehow see the final minute of the game, you can clearly see Harden lost the game for his team, aside from the 26 point lead meltdown, these are the "bonehead" plays that I thought Harden was losing for his team

bombing a long 3 with 10 seconds left to go on the clock and they are up by 3, they should've milked the clock, and it wasn't just a 3, it was a long long LONG 3

playing hero ball against Tatum and having it blocked, he let that 3 he got on Rozier on his head

of course his poor defense and his final 2 offensive calls, seeing the two fouls at the end, you can clearly see right before the 2nd foul, Harden was getting aggressive with Smart on a dead ball and the ref clearly warned them, and he still proceeded to run smart over (flop or not, it was still a bonehead play by Harden)

this is your leading candidate for MVP

[gouki88]

if you can somehow see the final minute of the game, you can clearly see Harden lost the game for his team, aside from the 26 point lead meltdown, these are the "bonehead" plays that I thought Harden was losing for his team

bombing a long 3 with 10 seconds left to go on the clock and they are up by 3, they should've milked the clock, and it wasn't just a 3, it was a long long LONG 3

playing hero ball against Tatum and having it blocked, he let that 3 he got on Rozier on his head

of course his poor defense and his final 2 offensive calls, seeing the two fouls at the end, you can clearly see right before the 2nd foul, Harden was getting aggressive with Smart on a dead ball and the ref clearly warned them, and he still proceeded to run smart over (flop or not, it was still a bonehead play by Harden)

this is your leading candidate for MVP

That block real was awesome wasn't it

[SHAQATTACK]

The ref made the correct call at the end of the game on Harden.....Ive never been a proponent of no calls at the end of a game .  A foul is a foul....rules are enforced the entire game.

The second foul was Harden frustration.....DARING the ref to make the same call TWICE .   The ref responded with  the correct call.  I looked at it 50 times there are clearly fouls. 

If the rockets had any chance ......Harden blew it ......its all on him .

Smart with Larry Bird like instincts to change a game in an instant with time running out.

Ive lost track of the winning IQ plays Smart has come up with when the outcome looked certainly bleak .   Only Larry Bird comes to mind .

Rocket fan are  butt hurt ...their team was steam rolled and man handled at the end .....when it really counted .   Harden lost his cool ..... sorry Houston your hero blew the game.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Tony Brothers snatched Victory from the jaws of Defeat...for the C's....Cause Tommy's his friend--and the other ref had SCREWED them all game....Yup.
 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I'm comfortable with the story being that lousy officiating detracted from a crazy, fun game. The officiating was pretty bad, especially with only 2 present.

But I haven't seen much suggesting the refs gave it to us, outside of cranky Rockets supporters and Celtics antifa(ns).

You had to go and politicize basketball!

[CF033]

Harden was clearly frustrated beyond frustrated by the end of the game and it had nothing to do with the officiating. The Celts clamped down hard and made his life a living hell (along with the whole of the Rockets) in that second half. No doubt that Marcus Smart pestered the heck out of him and got under his skin.

I don't see how those weren't offensive fouls at the end. He lowered his shoulder and charged right into Smart. If it were a Celtic that did it I would've felt the exact same way.

Lots of sour grapes from Harden at the end of that game. Man up and admit it was all on you.