Round 1 Game 3 | Cavs @ Celtics | April 23, 2015 | 7:00 PM ET

[tocov]

Kyrie had a quiet game because the Celtics did everything in their power for it to be that way. They were super physical with him, doubled him up and trapped him each trip down the court.

This is the great advantage of having a big 3 like that. That a team needs to put 90% of their efforts into containing one guy, leaving the other two to shit all over them.

 

[ssopata]

Double backbreaker 3s you mean. The sights of slouching Celtics fans and players were the tastiest after each shot and they're trying their best to distract Love.

Watch how Love shoves the ref away to get space just before James makes his move.

Still trying to count the number of fans who's face went straight to their hands once the shot went in.

 

[Ohdang]

There's just no way that after watching this series I'll believe Donaghy was the only one fixing games. We'd be winning every game by 30 if they were calling an even game. Gotta be trying to cover the spread, they aren't even trying to be subtle about it.

 

[Chris]

There's just no way that after watching this series I'll believe Donaghy was the only one fixing games. We'd be winning every game by 30 if they were calling an even game. Gotta be trying to cover the spread, they aren't even trying to be subtle about it.

I actually go out of my way to not complain about refs unless it's something ridiculously blatant. Literally every series, every game, on both teams' message boards, it's 75% complaining about reffing. Each side believes they are in the right. Go to Celtics Blog right now. They're crying a river about how the refs are out to get them.

I think it's a bad look. Basketball officiating is far from perfect and it's also relatively subjective at times. I don't think we're being jobbed by any officials and I don't think that's why the game is close. Nor do I think there is a conspiracy against the Celtics as their insane fans would have you believe. Can point out a few bad calls against both teams. I must say, that last jump ball (I think I posted about it) had me totally confused, the one where they told Mozgov he had to "hold it above his head"....like...he had clear and absolute possession of it.

 

[The Oi]

I've actually been pretty pleased with the reffing this series AFTER watching replays. On first watch, it's been easy to miss subtle pushes and extra-curricular stuff the guys are doing.

Celts have gotten screwed on a couple calls as well and I recall one at the end of the game where they called a foul for LeBron that was pretty poor.

 

[SteelSmack]

How much more physical have the Celtics been? The foul totals don't add up, to me. The Celtics can bump, we can't. It's frustrating to watch. I just wish they'd only call fairly obvious fouls, that would fix a lot of (my perceived) problems.

 

[Surge]

I've actually been pretty pleased with the reffing this series AFTER watching replays. On first watch, it's been easy to miss subtle pushes and extra-curricular stuff the guys are doing.

Celts have gotten screwed on a couple calls as well and I recall one at the end of the game where they called a foul for LeBron that was pretty poor.

Cavs got mugged numerous times. Crowder should have fouled out twice.

The first half was probably the worst officiated halves of basketball that I can remember.

There is no excuse for your post. Step your game up, or I'm stealing that bottled ship on your dresser.

 

[Frank Stallone]

I've actually been pretty pleased with the reffing this series AFTER watching replays. On first watch, it's been easy to miss subtle pushes and extra-curricular stuff the guys are doing.

Celts have gotten screwed on a couple calls as well and I recall one at the end of the game where they called a foul for LeBron that was pretty poor.

Some frustrating calls, but I think it has mostly evened out. The beginning of the game yesterday was insane, however. Pretty inconsistent. It happens, though.

 

[Ohio]

I actually go out of my way to not complain about refs unless it's something ridiculously blatant. Literally every series, every game, on both teams' message boards, it's 75% complaining about reffing. Each side believes they are in the right. Go to Celtics Blog right now. They're crying a river about how the refs are out to get them.

I think it's a bad look. Basketball officiating is far from perfect and it's also relatively subjective at times. I don't think we're being jobbed by any officials and I don't think that's why the game is close. Nor do I think there is a conspiracy against the Celtics as their insane fans would have you believe. Can point out a few bad calls against both teams. I must say, that last jump ball (I think I posted about it) had me totally confused, the one where they told Mozgov he had to "hold it above his head"....like...he had clear and absolute possession of it.

This is my favorite delusion of Boston fans...they actually believe this. They truly believe that their is a conspiracy within the NBA against the Celtics. A conspiracy. Against the Celtics. Hilarious.

If you ask an average Boston fan, David Stern fixing games and the NBA hating the Celtics is why they lost to Orlando in '09, why they lost to LA in '10 and why they lost to Miami in '11 and '12.

 

[Ohdang]

I actually like this Celtics team. They know they're outmatched so they're playing hard and playing physical. Nothing wrong with that, but we're literally being prevented from doing the same thing due to the way the officials are letting them play physical and calling touch fouls on us. That's where my problem lies. I'd like consistency in the calls and it hasn't been there. The first half of game 3 was especially egregious.