That was, by far, the worst, most embarrassing performance by an officiating crew in the history of the NBA.
The only thing that comes even close is when they decided to give Dwayne Wade a few games in the NBA finals a few years ago.
LeBron James had more free throw attempts than the entire Celtic team. Which would have been okay—if the Celtics weren’t taking the ball to the hoop. But they WERE.
Paul Pierce couldn’t buy a call. Taking the ball to the hoop and drawing contact did nothing to help him.
I understand that Glen Davis is a rookie, but he was fouled seven times and didn’t make it to the line once. He was MUGGED under the hoop. Yet no call.
Kendrick Perkins was thrown off the spot when attempting a defensive rebound, no call. Yet he was constantly called on the other end for minimal contact.
I’m not rational right now.
I was ready to blast the Celtics for losing on the road again, or praise them for finally getting over the road hump.
But what I witnessed was not a basketball game. It was a WWE event, where they had a scripted outcome designed to build up the next episode, which is Game Seven in Boston on Sunday.
LeBron James is hard enough to beat by himself. He doesn’t need help.
Then he has the nerve to complain CONSTANTLY in the second half? Are you kidding me? He’s the most unenjoyable superstar since Reggie Miller. And unenjoyable isn’t even a word.
The NBA is broken. Completely and utterly broken.
We should have realized this a few years ago when the Heat won a tainted championship while fielding eight players at a time against the Mavs’ five (it’s easy when all three refs are practically wearing your team’s jersey).
A missed goaltend that would have brought the Celtics to within two points. A missed travel that should have given the Celtics the ball down three with 14 seconds left.
I nearly threw my office chair through a window.
This game showed me NOTHING. I have no opinion on either team, except that LeBron is a God and the Celtics aren’t good enough to overcome a God and his minion referees.
Twenty-five free throws to thirteen.
David Stern, are you frigging kidding me?
LeBron James fifteen free throws, Boston Celtics thirteen.
David Stern, are you frigging kidding me?
I promise, I will never go after an NHL ref, an NFL official, or an MLB umpire again. It’s amazing how good they are in comparison to NBA officials.
The only thing missing from this game was LeBron hitting Pierce in the head with a chair, followed by Jim Ross screaming, “MY GOD! MY GOD! THERE WILL BE A GAME SEVEN!?!?! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!! BARNBURNER! BY GOD!”
I need a drink.
Sean Crowe is a Senior Writer at Bleacher Report. You can email him at scrowe@gmail.com. His archive can be found here. You can find everything he writes, including articles for other publications, here.
15 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Scott Miles about 1 year ago
Be more concerned about shooting 40 percent from the floor, committing 17 turnovers, giving up 16 offensive rebounds, the rapid decline of Jesus Shuttlesworth - err, Ray Allen's - career, Rondo's horrible play on the road, and the fact that Doc Rivers is still your coach.
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Braeden Maloney about 1 year ago
How about 33 percent from the floor, and a sub par supporting cast that eeks by every game because of Lebron getting EVERY call. If Lebron is driving to the basket, you know he's getting to the line- If he doesn't, he'll cry like a woman so he at least gets the phantom call the next time. Never before have I seen such superstar treatment to an overrated ball-player with not a hint of a jump shot. Dick Bevetta is senile, and seems to go with the flow of the crowd in order to make calls. A botched offensive foul call, a goaltend +1, and a missed travel in the final minute are unacceptable. But keep preaching Lebron's name, and claiming you were a Cavs fan before the Lebron era. Lebron created a monster, and that monster (every bandwagon Cavs fan) resides in a crap-hole named Cleveland. I know I saw it first hand at game 3. Your only decent players are Daniel Gibson, an open Ilgauskas, Delonte's left hand, and an aging Joe Smith. So its simple, Gibson is out, guard up on Ilgauskas (give Lebron his 30 a night, it won't matter in the final score), force Delonte to play to his right, and wear Joe out the 15 minutes he plays a game. See you at the Garden "Lebron-era" Cavalier fans.
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Sean Crowe about 1 year ago
And what pisses me off the most...when he lays on the ground like he's about to die until they change the call to a flagrant. If it were the old days, someone would have taken him out for that by now.
In game one, when he was grabbed in the back of the jersey and pretended that he was about to lose a tooth.....Jordan, Magic, Bird...none of them would have pulled that crap.
Like I said, he's unenjoyable...unless you're a Cleveland fan. The NBA was better off when it looked like Dwayne Wade was the next great one they could build around.
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Scott Miles about 1 year ago
My my, I seem to have struck a nerve.
Braeden, believe it or not there are Cavs fans who have been around before LeBron. Back in the day we packed the Richfield Coliseum, which is out in the middle of a cornfield 40 minutes south of the city. Don't believe me? Read this: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/23520-Cleveland-Sports-Heroes-My-Love-for-the-Underdogs-150508
As far as calling Cleveland a "crap-hole", well that's really just not necessary at all and has nothing to do with the game.
And yes, LeBron is overly dramatic. Who cares? It's what the NBA is about these days. Hey, I'm with David Stern and wish we could get away from all this crap before games and all the nonsense that goes on within it, but that's how it is.
The team that won 66 - SIXTY-SIX! - games in the regular season should not be making excuses. You won 29 more games than the Hawks and 21 more than the Cavs. Unless KG, Paul Pierce and Jesus Shuttlesworth are all fouled out in the first half, there should be no reason that either one of these series went seven games. None.
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Nick Sugar about 1 year ago
I agree completely Sean - I flipped out in the second quarter when big baby got straight up mugged under the basket twice with no call either time. Then they get him on an invisible defensive three seconds the next trip down the court. I was fortunate enough to have Tivo because the networks don't show anything which might make anybody question the call on instant replay. But my god, the refs gave an extra 12 to 15 points to the Cavs by all conservative estimates. Sure the Celtics played bad, but they would have had to play FLAWLESS to beat the Cavs and the refs.
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Blake Andrea about 1 year ago
Don't forget when Bibby got straight jacked by Shaq that year in game 7 just so the lakers could be in the finals that was pretty bad too. But don't worry about Lebron will get all the good calls from here on out and be in the finals again. Even though they don't need a star like lebron when they have Chris Paul or Kobe. They just want to be sure that a superstar is in the Finals and winning MVP. Lord help us if they have to give a Finals MVP trophy to Sheed.
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Kay Gee about 1 year ago
I agree with Scott. Worry about your level of play, and we (Cavs & their fans) will worry about ours. I admit that a couple of key calls went our way. But Nick, Celts got away with a few, too. In this game. And in every game at the Garden. Don't worry, the series is going back to Boston. And if the refs continue the trend, you'll have nothing to worry about. My question: will the win mean less to you, if the refs help you get it?
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russell gamel about 1 year ago
The Cavalier fans have not basis on which to make any complaints. The referee teams have been horribly helping Cleveland in every game. It is sickening to watch. The frustration shows on the Celtics faces whenever there is a string of bad calls. How does a team play against that? Not only do they have to overcome the deficit created by giving Cleveland so many free throws, but they also get mugged and molested on the offensive end without any calls going their way. I almost threw my beer bottle at the TV. I don't know how the Celtics players refrain from throwing down with the Cleveland players when they get fouled. Those referees had to be paid off by someone to help Cleveland win. Either that or they have heavy bets on Cleveland.
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k j about 1 year ago
Please don't cry in the clam chowwdur. I believe that the refs did the same thing for Boston on their home court. You now have home field so give Le Bron a break. After the Washington series the NBA owes him big.
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L. G. about 1 year ago
SORRY BUDDY......THE REFS DID NOT GIVE US ANY CALLS IN BOSTON.........GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT!!!!!
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Ed Morad about 1 year ago
Talk about Lebron whinning you guys don't have a clue about basketball, is beacuse everyone thinks boston should win? Growup the best team won.
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Sean Crowe about 1 year ago
My daughter, four years old, asked me why the man on TV was crying after LeBron was called for a foul once last night. That about sums up what we're all "witnessing".... his whining has nothing to do with Basketball. He's a great player, but he needs to grow up.
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Dave Knox about 1 year ago
it's not just this series, look at the Spurs-Hornets. The Spurs get away with murder, they were handed that game the other night. It's better for the league if series go to 7. I think it would help if the refs weren't a bunch of old ass cantankerous white midgets. I hate the way they blow the whistle in anticipation of contact, or wait until they see if Lebron has an advantage before blowing for a foul to get him to the line. Speaking of Lebron, what an egomaniac asshole he is. Him and Kobe, the Jordan and Magic of this era, could learn a thing or two from the real ones. They act like spoiled bitches if things don't go their way. Success came too early for them to really develop into real people, and this is the result. Lebron speaking in the third person because he believes all his hype, Kobe with his phony trusting teammates routine when you can see the selfish asshole bubbling just beneath his phony veneer. The way he acted in the offseason was pathetic. Lebron has a long way to go as well...he has no midrange game, no 3 point J, no post up game. When his body starts to go he's going to wish he had developed his game instead of sucking Jay-z off in the offseason. But part of me thinks he doesn't have the finesse to be a good shooter, he's a bit clumsy in his own way. Anyway, I hate how he can do no wrong in the eyes of the media when he's turning the ball over like mad, shooting bad shots, and dogging it on defense. But hey, were all witnesses to what has become another farce of an NBA postseason
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jim smith about 1 year ago
Wow, you guys are the crybabies. Lebron is just a better player than anyone on the celtics. The Celtics have no heart. None. And the Cavs have in Lebron the best player in the NBA - don't give me this Kobe Bryant crap. Lebron is only 23!!!!!! He's insane, and he'll beat your precious Celtics, who don't have a leader, just three great players who all want the glory. Goodbye Celtics.
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Stew Winkel about 1 year ago
As soon as I saw Bavetta was the ref, I knew the celtics were in trouble. The celtics in that game were hit on all sides - poor coaching, poor play for long stretches, awful turnovers, and then the key whistle in the cavs favor at the right time.
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