Doc Rivers furious at the technical fouls in Game 1 against the Miami Heat – NBA News
Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers is not happy with the officiating during game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and the Miami Heat.
Rivers was called for a technical foul late in the 2nd quarter after demanding a foul for Rajon Rondo who had just driven into the lane to score a layup. Rivers thought Rondo had made contact while on the drive and said “C’mon Eddie” while referring to referee Ed Malloy as the Celtics made their way back to their side of the court.
The referee took exception to Divers and stopped the game to hand Rivers a technical foul. After the game, Rivers made his opinions public regarding the call.
"I know mine wasn't (deserved). I can tell you that much. I don't know how long I've been in this league, but that has to rank as the worst I've ever had. I would have loved to earn it. We should never get them anyway. I told our guys that. But everybody has to keep their composure. Not just the players and coaches” said Rivers while talking to reporters in the post game press conference.
Rivers technical foul was the fourth of the night against Boston. Before this, Ray Allen was given a technical by referee Danny Crawford in the opening minutes of the 2nd quarter, after he simply challenged the referee’s call and then turned around and made his way back to his position.
A few minutes after that, Crawford handed the Celtics a ‘delay in game foul; after Garnett had batted the ball away following a successful field goal.
Rondo also received a technical from Malloy for shoving Shane Battier after the two got tangled up under the Celtics net. When Rondo was asked about the technical fouls, he brushed it away and did not make any complaint regarding it.
"We just got (the technicals. I don't know how many we got, but that's just how it was called” said Rondo.
The fouls have received criticism from around the league, with many former players and basketball analysts calling them as too strict.
The NBA may be under some level of pressure after the Eastern Conference Semi Finals between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers was filled with hard fouls and physical contact. In game 5 alone, three flagrant 1 fouls were handed out by the referees which were upgraded to flagrant 2 after the game.
The referees were criticized for being too flexible and soft on fouls throughout the series and particularly in game 5. With the kind of fouls that took place in the Miami-Indiana series and the resulting criticism of the referees, the NBA might have instructed the match officials to call the Eastern Conference Finals very strictly so that incidents, like the ones seen in the Heat-Pacers series are discouraged from the offset.
Tags: