Sure it did. The calls went the C's way tonight just as they went the Heat's way in Game 2. The only difference is that Miami sh!t the bed in the second half even worse than the C's did in the third quarter of Game 2 so they weren't in the position for a no call like what happened in Game 2.
No surprise the C's got the calls last nite - they were at home, the officials had just taken a beating for the game 2 disaster.
Predictable, NBA. Predictable.
But to the larger issue, I would agree with the fact that as god-awful as NBA refs are, and they are terrible, more often than not, they have only affected the outcome of one game this series, and that was game 2. The rest of the series has been very interesting basketball wise, and its a shame officiating - as always - has become an issue that overshadows it.
However, Game 2 was an example of the refs determining the victor. Flat-out, start to finish that game was 5 on 8. I know you think it was just a call or two, but no, the refs dictated the way that game was played, and it was played in a way that the Heat were allowed to be physical on both ends, and the Celtics were not. The refs are intimidated by Wade and Lebron, end of story. It gives the Heat a get out of jail free card. You can cite a lull in the 3rd quarter - well every game has lulls from every team. If the refs hadn't kept the Heat in that game by dictating style of play, the C's would've been up 25.
Wade can come in and swing his arm around like a weapon or flail his arms like a soccer player; Lebron can travel half dozen times a game like a 5 year old in rec league learning to play, lower his shoulder like a battering ram, etc., and these things are deemed acceptable by the league now. Because of who they are. If anyone else hits Rondo in the face on that play, its a foul - no doubt.
It's frustrating to watch, and it takes away from their respective greatness.
This is a very intriguing series otherwise. Honestly - I thought had the C's had Bradley, they would've beaten the Heat. In 6. He is so good at 1 on 1 defense, and he would have kept Wade in check. His slashing and energy would've prevented the iso stand around offense from taking over at the other end, and he and Rondo have great chemistry already.
But - he's out. And without him, I felt the Heat would whoop the C's. But I was wrong. I think the C's, ultimately, will lose the series - the Wade/Lebron combo is just too much. And the Celtics just don't have the discipline to do what they need to do to win this series over 7 games - which is to let Rondo take over every play of every game with aggressiveness and his basketball IQ. It's obvious that is their key, and for whatever reason, Doc and Rondo only let it come out in bursts. I'm fine with Rondo finding mismatches and isolating them - but it too quickly leads to that stagnant idle isolation offense where no one moves around and we all wait for Paul Pierce to try and score on a superior defender in Lebron James.
To me, the Heat's road to victory is too simple. Drive to the rim, do your thing, get the fouls, dish it to your role players and let them hit 3's. But their is stubbornness on their end too - Wade and Lebron can take over a game and its actually a detriment. Take last nite, Lebron took over, when he was hot, they were fine - when he went cold, they got demolished and had no recourse. (Frankly, I think the Heat have better luck and are harder to stop when Wade takes over a game, but feel free to way in on that issue Kontra, you know them better)
Lebron, in spite of the outburst of offense he had last nite, maybe hurt the Heat last nite by playing as a one-man band and never establishing any rhythm in the half court set. In the middle of the 2nd quarter, he started piling up bricks, and the game was over, and no one else on the Heat was involved in the game - at all.
I'd let Lebron put up 65 if it means Wade, Chalmers, Battier, Miller, etc. are just sitting there as spectators. Lebron is still not a consistent outside shooter, and he will go through stretches where he misses those shots - and it can cripple an offense for stretches if no one else on the team is involved.
