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Could Referee Assignments Spell Trouble In Crucial Game 5 Of the NBA Finals?

I don't want to sound too concerned about the referees in tonights game but checking the stats I found some things to keep an eye on.

Bill Kennedy, Joe Crawford and Mike Callahan were part of crews that officiated a total of five Mavericks games this postseason:

04/16 vs. Portland (Mavs won 89-81)
04/23 @ Portland (Mavs lost 82-84) epic collapse
05/17 vs. Oklahoma City (Mavs won 121-112)
05/31 @ Miami (Mavs lost 84-92)
06/02 @ Miami (Mavs won 95-93) epic comeback

Okay. So the Mavs went 3-2 in those games. Although their overall record is 14-5 this isn't too abnormal and Miami also only went 4-3 in the postseason with at least one of them officiating. For some reason though their names initially caused a headache and here's why:

With a decent chance that Brendan Haywood will be sidelined tonight, a major piece of the puzzle will be keeping Tyson Chandler out of foul trouble. I mentioned it yesterday that he was somehow able to play 43 minutes without being in foul trouble. And that was big. In those five games that at least one of tonights referees officiated, Tyson Chandler picked up five fouls three times. Including both games against the Heat. That hasn't hurt his playing time too much but it's worth mentioning nevertheless. Add that especially Joe Crawford is whistle-happy when it comes to the Mavericks this season. Opponents shoot 7.93 more free throws pp100 than normally and the Mavericks are called for 3.28 more fouls pp100. The Mavericks meanwhile receive less calls from an officiating crew with Joe Crawford (-2.05 pp100) and stay under their average in free throw attempts (-0.95 pp100).

Additionally RefCalls.com has pointed out in Game 1 and Game 2 of the NBA Finals that both Crawford and Kennedy called a lot of ticky-tacks, most of them in favor of the Heat. Crawford has the reputation of having a loose whistle anyway and Hollinger jokingly projected three double-technicals tonight. With LeBron James in attack flopping mode that could either mean that especially Tyson can't be as aggressive as needed or that he will sit early and often.

Both aren't scenarios the Mavs want to face.

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Game 5 is tonight

Gabe, it didn’t happen, you astound me, truly

Brad James

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With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!

by the new Bradfather on Jun 9, 2011 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions  

Lets go Mabs!

I’m pumped.

Apologies to anyone that already posted this...
…but Thor is an impostor. Dirk is the true God of Thunder

by Steve Estep on May 23, 2011 9:46 PM PDT

by AfterSchoolSpecial on Jun 9, 2011 4:57 PM CDT reply actions  

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