Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett speak on officiating in game – 4 – NBA Playoffs Update
The Boston Celtics Eastern Conference Finals series with the Miami Heat has been enthralling to watch so far and not been without controversy. Smack in the middle of the action are the referees, who have had the job of controlling two very physical sides
and have come under scrutiny themselves time and again.
The debate on officiating flared up again after game-4, which the Boston Celtics won in overtime, and now Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers have spoken about the issue.
"The play-calling was all over the place as far as the refs and I thought both teams played through it." Garnett said of a hard game-4.
Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce and Miami Heat super star LeBron James both fouled out of the game. Pierce had been fouled out in an earlier game in the series as well but it was James who did all the whining, despite being almost perpetually being out
of foul trouble.
The Celtics have gotten used to the adverse circumstances that the series has been played in. The first two games were especially tough for them and blatant fouls, such as the one on Rajon Rondo by Dwyane Wade in injury time, have not been called resulting
in their job becoming infinitely tougher.
Doc Rivers however has always pushed his team to play harder and not get distracted with what was going on in the refereeing department. His message was no different after game-4, with the coach explaining that it was a tough series to officiate.
"I think it's a hard game," Rivers said. "I said that after Game 1, Game 2, Game 3 and now Game 4. It's a physical series. We're physical and they're a physical team. I thought the calls down the stretch could have gone either way, could've been no calls.
Watching on tape they were tough calls. I complain more than anybody but the team that gets one doesn't like it. It's a brutal job especially in this series."
The Celtics and Heat are now tied 2 – 2 in the playoffs series and game-5 will be played in Miami.
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