Rivers sends tape to League officials

[TheMACHINE]

BOSTON -- Doc Rivers spent quite a bit of time Wednesday discussing the state of the officiating in the NBA Finals after sending a videotape to the league office documenting what he said were several uncalled offensive fouls against the Los Angeles Lakers. It may have been an off day Wednesday in the L.A.-Boston series, but Rivers was very much on his game when it came to working the refs.

"I think it was a ton of moving screens they got away with," Rivers said the day after the Celtics' 91-84 loss to the Lakers in Game 3 put the Celtics behind 2-1 in the best-of-7 series. "As far as off-the-ball action ... you are not allowed to hold, you are not allowed to bump, and you are not allowed to impede progress. I read that this morning, and I'm positive of it. So, you know, when that happens it has to be called."

Rivers said he had sent a tape to the league office documenting several instances in which the Lakers were not called for moving screen violations, a type of offensive foul. By his count, the Celtics were called for one such violation and the Lakers none.

Rivers also commented on the general state of officiating in the NBA and how it differs from when he was a player. Although it did not appear as though he had said anything egregious enough to merit a fine from the league office, commissioner David Stern will have the final say on that matter -- and Stern has shown less tolerance than in past years for coaches working the refs in between games.

Rivers also continued to sound incredulous that Lakers coach Phil Jackson had complained about the foul calls against Kobe Bryant in Game 2 (Jackson called them "unusual fouls") when Bryant racked up five personals, noting that foul trouble had impacted his own team much more than it had the Lakers.

"I think he [Phil Jackson] is good, I think we're all pretty good at it," Rivers said. "But listen, if Phil Jackson says something the day before and it happens, I hope that has nothing to do with the officials."

In Game 3, Paul Pierce was limited to 34 minutes because of foul trouble. In Game 2 it was Kevin Garnett who spent more than half the game watching from the bench because of fouls, and in Game 1 Ray Allen was the recipient of at least two questionable foul calls that limited him to 27 minutes.

"It's huge," Rivers said. "We've had all three games where one of our quote-unquote Big Three has not been able to play.

"Last night, Paul was never in his rhythm. He couldn't be. He played for four minutes, he was back on the bench, played for five minutes. I mean, I played Paul at times last night when I should not have had him on the floor with four fouls, but I had no choice. You've got to get him on the floor at some point.

"But it clearly -- you know, we watched film today, and I showed Paul, it's funny. I said 'Paul, that's a driving lane. You've got to get to the basket.' His response was: 'I was worried about getting another foul.' It's tough to play that way." Through three games, the Celtics have been whistled for 84 personal fouls to the Lakers' 75. Pierce and Kevin Garnett have been whistled for 13 fouls apiece, while Lamar Odom of the Lakers leads all players with 14 personals. Odom has played an average of just 21 minutes per game after averaging nearly 30 minutes over the first three rounds of the postseason.

The Lakers have attempted 96 free throws in the three games to Boston's 86, and there has generally been an inordinate amount of conversation over the past six days regarding the quality of the refereeing.

"When I played, it was just two officials, so that was a while ago," Rivers said. "And I also thought back then it was more they just called the game, what they saw. Now, it's much more technical and in some ways better, and in some ways not, because officials won't call something that's not in their area, if you know what I mean, even if they see it at times.

"But it's tough. I think the game is more athletic, the game is faster, and it's brutal. We're hard on them, everybody is hard on them. But it's a difficult game to call," Rivers said. "I think what we all want is just consistency. It's tough to get that, but I think that's what everybody wants."

[z0sa]

Doc is getting better than Phil at this.

[PGDynasty24]

Now I know how you non-laker fans feel when Phillip complains about officiating

[Giuseppe]

But, Phil has been preemptively striking even before the OKC starter.

Rivers is tardy.

[lefty]

Wut?


He should focus his energy and time into making better decisions in the last minutes of a close game

[monosylab1k]

While he's at it, drop off a video at Ray's locker showing him the turd of a game he played.

[Giuseppe]

Wut?


He should focus his energy and time into making better decisions in the last minutes of a close game

Quit buttin' in, Lefty. It ain't Pop. It ain't the Spurs.

[TheMACHINE]

the bully complained about being bullied...interesting.

[jonnybravo]

Having KG play fullback on your team on offense for the last 3 years? Seriously Doc?

Announcers even blatantly call out KG's flagrant moving screens almost every time these guys step on the floor. The guy literally plays fullback on a screen.

This team has gotten away with the foul, foul, foul some more philosophy for the last three years. Get away with 30% of it and you've come out of it ahead.

Comeuppance is a helluva thing isn't it?

[z0sa]

Doc Rivers is a bully?

[jonnybravo]

Doc Rivers is a bully?

No, but his entire team most certainly acts like they are.

He better watch what he wishes for because if they're going to pay attention to moving screen, his team is done.

KG won't play more than 15 minutes if they're going to call them tight.

[JamStone]

I like how the refs reviewed that one out of bounds call with Odom and Rondo, and they can't review to look for a foul call they missed so they ruled the ball off Odom even though Rondo clearly fouled him.

Brilliant NBA review rule at its best on that play.

[Amaso]

Is he really this dumb? The Celtics are kings of the moving screen.

[monosylab1k]

Is he really this dumb? The Celtics are kings of the moving screen.

The best is how KG actually grabs the guy he's screening with both arms and holds him in place.

[JamStone]

Lol it's more of a surprise when KG doesn't move on a screen he's setting.

[jonnybravo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XoZ6R-rM-Y

This is how Ray Allen and Pierce have been getting open the last 3 years.

You better watch what you wish for dumbass.

[IronMexican]

I like how the refs reviewed that one out of bounds call with Odom and Rondo, and they can't review to look for a foul call they missed so they ruled the ball off Odom even though Rondo clearly fouled him.

Brilliant NBA review rule at its best on that play.

Refs might have got that one wrong, but they got the other two right. 2-3 instead of 1-3 isn't bad. And that one for LA was a huge momentum shift.

[024]

celtics are the biggest offenders of moving screens. although, the officiating has been extremely poor.

[DazedAndConfused]

The sheer arrogance of this man to talk about moving screens just baffles me.

I need to show him game tape of KG.

[DJ Mbenga]

oh man the irony.

[Ashy Larry]

The best is how KG actually grabs the guy he's screening with both arms and holds him in place.

But that shit is legit in the eyes of Rivers. That's why some of these people who asks the questions should come up with a follow up question about the same shit that the C's get away with.

Even with that said, he's just setting up the officials for game 4. Phil does it all the time.

[Kriz-Maxima]

:rollin

Doc

[HarlemHeat37]

Obviously the Celtics are the main offenders in the NBA when it comes to moving screens(although it's overplayed), so I won't address that, but the officiating has definitely been pro-LA in this series IMO..

Ron Artest(probably the only player in the NBA that is always allowed to hug/handcheck in a league where it's supposed to be outlawed) and Bynum(mostly traveling and 3 sec calls) get away with A LOT for being just role players, TBH..

Just pointing that out..Lakers obviously deserve their series lead, the refs wouldn't have helped Allen and Pierce make shots..

[Spursfan092120]

While he's at it, drop off a video at Ray's locker showing him the turd of a game he played.
This

[jonnybravo]

But that shit is legit in the eyes of Rivers. That's why some of these people who asks the questions should come up with a follow up question about the same shit that the C's get away with.

Even with that said, he's just setting up the officials for game 4. Phil does it all the time.


He needs to focus on things like 3 second violations or something of that sort.

Having them focus on something like this is going to turn around and bite him in the ass.

[Agloco]

But, Phil has been preemptively striking even before the OKC starter.

Rivers is tardy.

That's Phil's calling card though, early to the table before any evidence exists. Rivers, on the other hand, has got the goods on Phil's boys in his "voyeurcam".

[mingus]

Doc is just butthurt. the only way the Celtics have a chance in this series is if they are physical. no clue why he's trying to make the game less physical and less to his team's advantage.

the guy he should be sending videotape to is Ray Allen. he needs to send him one of those basketball shooting drills videos.

[Giuseppe]

I'm surprised the league doesn't decree a gag order on game officials forbiding them from Media during the playoffs (like a jury). The absence of such a decree lends credence that the league is framing the officiating based on pressure from the head coaching.

[Giuseppe]

Doc is just butthurt. the only way the Celtics have a chance in this series is if they are physical. no clue why he's trying to make the game less physical and less to his team's advantage.

The threat of suspension hangs over Perkins like Damacle's sword. It's ruined his game. His game is one of intimidation thru body & facial language fortified thru physical punishment. He's impotent, like somebody with ED. (tee, hee).

[cobbler]

Obviously the Celtics are the main offenders in the NBA when it comes to moving screens(although it's overplayed), so I won't address that, but the officiating has definitely been pro-LA in this series IMO..

Ron Artest(probably the only player in the NBA that is always allowed to hug/handcheck in a league where it's supposed to be outlawed) and Bynum(mostly traveling and 3 sec calls) get away with A LOT for being just role players, TBH..

Just pointing that out..Lakers obviously deserve their series lead, the refs wouldn't have helped Allen and Pierce make shots..

Wow.... what a surprise. Harlem/Chris/Miami with another anti Laker post.

OBSESSED!

[Killakobe81]

celtics are the biggest offenders of moving screens. although, the officiating has been extremely poor.

Yes i agree but 96-86 FTA's Attempted Lakers with 2 of those 3 games in LA that is NOT unusual ...

The reffing has been shitty but NOT one-sided ...

[crc21209]

Obviously the Celtics are the main offenders in the NBA when it comes to moving screens(although it's overplayed), so I won't address that, but the officiating has definitely been pro-LA in this series IMO..

Ron Artest(probably the only player in the NBA that is always allowed to hug/handcheck in a league where it's supposed to be outlawed) and Bynum(mostly traveling and 3 sec calls) get away with A LOT for being just role players, TBH..

Just pointing that out..Lakers obviously deserve their series lead, the refs wouldn't have helped Allen and Pierce make shots..

+1. I noticed Bynum was moving on his screens ALOT last night...

[mingus]

The threat of suspension hangs over Perkins like Damacle's sword. It's ruined his game. His game is one of intimidation thru body & facial language fortified thru physical punishment. He's impotent, like somebody with ED. (tee, hee).

true. i think it's ridiculous how they didn't give him a "T" i think it was in game 2, when he got into something with Gasol. they normally would have given him one.

for the record, i personally think that the league should change the way they officiate in terms of giving handing out technicals, so i don't disagree with it. i think they should've held out on giving him one. the problem is the inconsistency of they way the league office handles things. back in '07, when it was Spurs vs. Suns, the league office, by handing out the suspensions, seemed to establish the fact that they were going to abide by the letter of the law, not matter if it hurt one team's chance of winning the game, and for that matter the series. so they handed out the suspensions. obviously, it was a huge reason the Suns lost that series. NOW, they're managing things differently. now they're holding out on the T's they give players in the interest of a more competitive series. it's bullshit. it allows one to assume that the league office is manipulating the series. bullshit. bullshit. bullshit. the NBA needs to get rid of Stern and replace him with someone who has honesty.

[Killakobe81]

Hey he can whin if he wants ...but in a way to me he shows weakness the WAY he is doing it.

Phil doesnt it before the series and reminds the refs through the media as needed.

Doc is not new at this but he waits until the ish happens ...he started whining after Magic won back2vback games in the ECF as well ...when Dwight was bullying his so-called tough guys ....

[Giuseppe]

Yes, Rivers looks amateurish flailing about like this.

Jackson looks dignified.

[Killakobe81]

Yes, Rivers looks amateurish flailing about like this.

Jackson looks dignified.

DESPERATE times call for ... LOL

[TheMACHINE]

im all for the refs looking for illegal screens. Thanks doc!

[silverblk mystix]

if you watch the games you will see this; if you are honest;

celtics get clobbered in the paint--no call

gasol and kobe get phantom call after phantom call---

fisher can mug anyone at any time and get away with it 5-6 times in a row...then they call a foul on fish---and he can't fuckin believe it

artest can hold,grab, impede progress, swipe at balls , arms, slap--etc--and get away with it...

on & on & on

just watch the games---it is obvious if you can be honest

[cobbler]

if you watch the games you will see this; if you are honest;

celtics get clobbered in the paint--no call

gasol and kobe get phantom call after phantom call---

fisher can mug anyone at any time and get away with it 5-6 times in a row...then they call a foul on fish---and he can't fuckin believe it

artest can hold,grab, impede progress, swipe at balls , arms, slap--etc--and get away with it...

on & on & on

just watch the games---it is obvious if you can be honest

You are honestly an idiot.

[TheMACHINE]

if you watch the games you will see this; if you are honest;

celtics get clobbered in the paint--no call

gasol and kobe get phantom call after phantom call---

fisher can mug anyone at any time and get away with it 5-6 times in a row...then they call a foul on fish---and he can't fuckin believe it

artest can hold,grab, impede progress, swipe at balls , arms, slap--etc--and get away with it...

on & on & on

just watch the games---it is obvious if you can be honest

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/Janthony019/greyspursfan.jpg

[cobbler]

Did doc send tape of him running on the court to call a timeout?

[DPG21920]

Yes, Rivers looks amateurish flailing about like this.

Jackson looks dignified.

Does dignified stand for petty douche?

[monosylab1k]

Does dignified stand for petty douche?

Do 'im, DPG, and don't give Gui the courtesy of lube either!

[JamStone]

Doc just needs to tell his players to get swole on them Lakers and bring down the hammer on those moving picks..

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8996/crazykg2.gif

[namlook]

Oh the humanity of it all.

I'm pretty sure if Stern reviews the tapes of this series he will find more uncalled fouls against the Celtics than the Lakers. The Celtics defense is based on grabbing and holding and their offense revolves around moving screens.

[LnGrrrR]

Doc complaining about moving screens? :rolleyes :lol

[SomeCallMeTim]

BOSTON -- Doc Rivers spent quite a bit of time Wednesday discussing the state of the officiating in the NBA Finals after sending a videotape to the league office documenting what he said were several uncalled offensive fouls against the Los Angeles Lakers. It may have been an off day Wednesday in the L.A.-Boston series, but Rivers was very much on his game when it came to working the refs.

"I think it was a ton of moving screens they got away with," Rivers said the day after the Celtics' 91-84 loss to the Lakers in Game 3 put the Celtics behind 2-1 in the best-of-7 series. "As far as off-the-ball action ... you are not allowed to hold, you are not allowed to bump, and you are not allowed to impede progress. I read that this morning, and I'm positive of it. So, you know, when that happens it has to be called."

Rivers said he had sent a tape to the league office documenting several instances in which the Lakers were not called for moving screen violations, a type of offensive foul. By his count, the Celtics were called for one such violation and the Lakers none.

I don't mind this. He's doing his job. Lobbying the refs is looking for an edge. Anything he can do to help the team win. I don't have to like it... but again, don't really mind it either.

PJ does the exact same stuff all the time of course.

I will point out something: the C's were not called for a moving screen last night if he's referring to the offensive foul called on Perk for setting a high screen. (It is possible he's referring to a different play but I don't think so.) Perk got whistled for an illegal screen, not because he was moving, but because he had his legs out way wider than his shoulders.

NBA refs are instructed to call that and for good reason. Anybody here ever run into a picker at a pickup game who's doing those "squat screens"? Hello, Charlie Horse...

AFAIK refs in the NBA will let players get away with some movement setting screens but won't allow the legs out wide to displace/trip defenders.

[SomeCallMeTim]

I like how the refs reviewed that one out of bounds call with Odom and Rondo, and they can't review to look for a foul call they missed so they ruled the ball off Odom even though Rondo clearly fouled him.

Brilliant NBA review rule at its best on that play.

Refs called it right. A case where the law cause injustice but they followed the law.

Can't blame the refs for that. (I know you weren't)

This will be changed in the offseason, you watch.

Little by little, we'll be seeing more application of replay... in five years there will be a great deal more use. Get ready for longer games but that's the trade off for accuracy.

[Baseline]

So at the NBA Headquarters, where the walls are covered with K. Bryant posters, and the floors are covered with purple and gold carpet, they're all going to sit back and watch this tape as they sip purple cocktails with gold umbrellas.

Can't wait to see the shift in the Earth's core this viewing brings about.

[eisfeld]

Boston complaining about moving screens? :lmao