Officially Speaking

by Jeff Clark on Jun 10, 2008 3:46 PM EDT in Boston Celtics News & Links

Ball Don't Lie has the officials for tonight:

Via Awful Announcing, the NBA has posted the referee assignments for tonight's Game 3. They are, in particular order, Celtics fans: Bennett Salvatore (notorious "home team" ref, who waved off Pierce's potential four-point play against Detroit), Joey Crawford (fiery bulldog, who was suspended last season for wanting to fight Duncan), and Mark Wunderlich (Catholic Minister, who was part of the three-man crew that didn't call a foul on the Fisher-Barry fiasco.) Powell is spot on: it never ceases to amaze how often the NBA selects the most controversial refs for the most important games. Where's Earl Hebner?

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Well, if the Celts get a raw deal from the officials tonight at least Doc can let complain as loudly as Jackson did. I mean, Phil isn’t getting fined for his comments so the same should apply for Doc right?

by cool breeze on Jun 10, 2008 3:53 PM EDT reply actions

KG’s going to press Crawford over his head tonight and toss him into Ted DiBiase…

by bagofbeef on Jun 10, 2008 3:57 PM EDT reply actions

Simmons said that Salvatore was a mortal lock to ref game 3, hahaha. Well, we’re probably not winning tonight, gents. If we do though, my GOD. That would be awesome.

by dobbs on Jun 10, 2008 3:57 PM EDT reply actions

2 great refs,road or otherwise,and Bennett sucks no matter which team…a good crew for us…we need Javie this weekend,GREAT roadie

by Motown on Jun 10, 2008 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

Anyone but Violet Palmer and we have a chance to win the game.

by PRIDE on Jun 10, 2008 4:19 PM EDT reply actions

Might as well have announcer Mike Breen as a referee. That guy is as anti-Celtic biased as they come. He is a hideous announcer. I loathe him. He would fit right in for tonights game.

My guess is that if Kobe so much as winces someone will get a foul called by the Gnome Crawford or the blind Spaniard/Italian (or whatever) Salvatore.

PP in early foul trouble – I think. Winning tonight would be unreal…. but it alas it is only “unreal-istic”. One big “make-up” call for the Lakers tonight. Focus on Game 4 as this game is most likely toast. Hope I am wrong

die Breen die….. you scum sucking Celtic hatin tool….

>:(

by Master Po on Jun 10, 2008 4:49 PM EDT reply actions

I’d take Violet Palmer any day over Bennett Salvatore.

by Brickowski on Jun 10, 2008 4:50 PM EDT reply actions

But, how do you really feel Po?

by Green17 on Jun 10, 2008 4:54 PM EDT reply actions

What refs aren’t controversial at this point?

by bleedingreen on Jun 10, 2008 4:55 PM EDT reply actions

Yikes. Calling all conspiracy theorists! Po’s right, look for early foul trouble. On the other hand, if they weather this …

by Tenacious D on Jun 10, 2008 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

Breen is just a moron.

by Last Train on Jun 10, 2008 5:02 PM EDT reply actions

Even if we get questionable calls and lose tonight`s game, I hope we show a different class than the LA folks, and don`t blame the refs. They can win the battle if we win the war, on and off the court.

Even if they go 10 on 1. >:(

by Casperian on Jun 10, 2008 5:12 PM EDT reply actions

Oh no, Salvatore and Crawford? Perk is going to have 2 fouls before tip-off.

by deejaymc on Jun 10, 2008 5:19 PM EDT reply actions

Is it at all possible that the refs are actually more on the fair side tonight? I mean, wouldn’t they be proving the conspiracy theorists right that the games are sometimes fixed if they actually give most of the calls to LA after EVERYONE in the world is predicting that that would happen? Are they really that bold to go ahead and do it after all the publicity?

by Bankshot on Jun 10, 2008 5:30 PM EDT reply actions

I’m with you Casperian. I expect that stuff from Phil, but Doc seems to operate with a little more class- even though it’s basically a coaching strategy on Jackson’s part.
Well.. ` (strategy)/ @ (jerk).

Thing is, I wonder if calling out the refs won’t backfire on the Laker’s? I know if I were the refs I’d be a little more than irritated by all of this.

by cool breeze on Jun 10, 2008 5:30 PM EDT reply actions

Uhh.. that’s sixty percent strategy, forty percent jerk.

by cool breeze on Jun 10, 2008 5:31 PM EDT reply actions

I feel the refs will be hard on us tonight, but I dont think they like Kobe anymore than I do

by CfanMissippi on Jun 10, 2008 5:51 PM EDT reply actions

This KILLS me:
http://www.insidesocal.com/lakers/2008/06/no-fine-for-phil.html

by cool breeze on Jun 10, 2008 5:59 PM EDT reply actions

jeff, nice use of the hebner fiasco. That brought me back some.

by miraclejohan on Jun 10, 2008 6:02 PM EDT reply actions

Be interesting to see what impact the Donaghy court filing will have tonight. This might not be the best evening for the three whistle-tooters to try to determine a winner.

by CoachBo on Jun 10, 2008 6:32 PM EDT reply actions

Doesn’t matter who the refs will be tonight the Celts will be getting every ticky tack foul called on them because the Lakers were whining!!

Get ready for Game #3 with the Wicked Pissa Dude Radio pre-game show, available now at http://www.wickedpissadude.com

by Wicked Dude on Jun 10, 2008 7:27 PM EDT reply actions

The whole Tim D. thing has given me some thought to what happened when Ray Allen (when he was with Milwaukee) got slammed for hinting that the NBA would rather see Philly-Lakers in the finals instead of Milwaukee-Lakers a few years ago. Who wouldn’t want Iverson vs Kobe instead of Ray Allen vs Kobe? In the Eastern finals that year, Dikembe Mutombo had a total of 7 fouls for the entire 7-game series. It was staggering to Bucks fans (like me, at the time anyway, when they had Allen and Cassell).

It’s a sad statement, but it’s about money, so it would not surprise if there was a little truth about officials being told to “look the other way” or not call fouls on certain teams and players.

by mulder32 on Jun 11, 2008 7:53 PM EDT reply actions