I have mixed feelings on this one, largely based on the ref assignments for tonight's game, which I don't like.
On the one hand, this reminds me of the Friday night game 3 in Boston on May 7, 2010 (another warm and sunny day, like today) with the series tied after splitting at home when LeBron went crazy and we won big (of course, we didn't know then about the disaster that lied ahead).
But, again, my opinons of the assigned refs follow, which you are free to disagree with:
Mike Callahan in one of the refs assigned to tonight's game. He is one of the four refs, some of them felons, who each attended
Cardinal O'Hara High School in
Springfield, Pennsylvania--the same high school that graduated convicted felon Donaghy, along with
Joe Crawford (convicted felon), Mike Callahan and Ed Malloy. (Why would the NBA hire four refs from the same high school, some of them who are or became convicted felons?). So I don't trust any of these four (now three) refs. (Of these four: we (and Tim Duncan) know how biased Joe Crawford is. Ed Malloy was a ref in game one of the Chicago series and at times buried his whistle on hard fouls against LeBron while calling touch fouls against the Cavs--and we lost). Assigned ref
Tony Brothers was the awful ref in the Boston/Cavs game 4 who allowed Boston to hammer us, let Kelly O. stay in the game but threw out JR and stood and watched while, for example, LeBron was fouled from behind out of bounds while Kyrie's jersey was grabbed to prevent him from getting open.
Eric Lewis is the ref who Blatt--in one of his few emotional outbursts during an NBA game this season--had to be restrained from going after by LeBron.
The Media and Coach Tibs made a big issue of no foul shots by Rose (who doesn't like to drive and get contact), but a bunch by Kryrie.
I assume the NBA direct or indirect marching orders are to hit the Cavs (and LeBron and Kyrie) with fouls, foul out some of our better players and have quick techs while allowing the Bulls to generally hammer LeBron and others with no consequence. If this is so, Blatt needs to get at least one technical and talk about it post game, as all the best coaches would and have done if the game is rigged against them.
Not saying the Cavs can't overcome this, but they will have to be stellar to do this. The worst ref assignment can't overcome video James--who has not yet shot well in this series. When he does, look out, and he is due.
I liked the refs assigned during the last game and predicted a victory. The refs were not perfect in that game, but I believe they called a pretty even game.
As usual, I hope I'm dead wrong and these refs call an even game. I mean, is Tony Brothers really going to give the Cavs a hard time on the heel of the Boston game four tape? Doesn't he have some make-up to do?
We shall see.
