Are refs making Raptors – Cavaliers series “8 against 5”?
By Brian Boake
The argument that the Raptors are getting shafted by the referees has been brought out in the open. Is there a valid complaint?
Dwane Casey has had enough. In his post-game parlay with the press, the Raptors head coach complained bitterly about the refereeing [starts around one minute].
Whether his public display of anger about the non-calls against his team gets him fined by the NBA remains to be seen. My guess is it will, if only because the league office doesn’t like getting on the wrong side of the officials by giving kvetchers a free pass.
[Update: Casey has been fined $ 25, 000. for his comments.]
However, that’s not the point of this post. I want to explore whether Casey has a case (sorry).
Let’s consider Game 3. Bismack Biyombo, whom our coach is particularly concerned about protecting, played 39+ minutes. He grabbed 26 rebounds, including 8 on the offensive glass, meaning he was in the pit with the big dogs. While being whistled for 3 fouls himself, Big Biz went to the free-throw line…once.
In the fourth quarter of last night’s fiercely contested Raptors win, Toronto didn’t go to the line a single time.
OK, how about the series as a whole? Toronto has been charged with more fouls than Cleveland in every game. For the record, the counts by game are: (1) 25-20, (2) 31-16, (3)17-10.
What about the eyeball test? That’s easy; how many block vs. charge calls have gone the Raptors way? I was stunned when one was called against Cleveland early in Q3; on LeBron James no less. Kyle Lowry “leads” both teams with 10 fouls, and several of those have been questionable blocking calls.
I don’t like blaming the referees for a team’s bad results. (To do so is akin to a golfer complaining about starting his round while it’s raining. Those are the conditions, pal, and everyone has to cope.) Beyond that, I enjoy writing about change and improvement. What suggestions can I offer the zebras?
It’s patently absurd to suggest some sort of a league-wide conspiracy against Toronto, with the refs as the inside men rendering Raptors victory impossible. However, the fact remains the NBA was stung badly by a dirty ref some years ago. More importantly, the NBA is a players’ league (as opposed to the NFL, which emphatically “belongs” to the teams’ owners and coaches). If you like, it’s a stars’ league. We saw too much evidence of that in the Miami series. Every time Dwyane Wade was brushed by a Raptor, the whistle sounded.
The Cavaliers are not a dirty team (with the significant exception of Dahntay Jones, who’s been suspended one game for kneeing Biyombo in a most vulnerable spot). But they are a team of stars, and the refs are giving those stars altogether too much consideration. [20-second timeout: Disgraced ex-ref Tim Donaghy remains steadfast in his belief the NBA over-protects its stars. I leave it to the reader to decide how much credibility to attach to the words of a convicted felon and liar.]
Conversely, the Raptors do not have any player who could remotely be compared to LeBron James in terms of cachet or accomplishment. Moreover, Toronto is led by a coach who’s frequently gotten himself in hot water over the years for complaining about incompetent officiating.
In short, there are many reasons to believe Dwane Casey has a valid argument, and none to disbelieve. Even if there are repercussions, I think coach was right to call out the unequal treatment the Raptors have been receiving from the referees.