Tony Brothers calling Game 3

[baseline bum]

With McCutchen and Zarba

[spursparker9]

:lol good lord.

[Trainwreck2100]

:lol

[smaka]

Expect Joey for game 4 then.

But Tony Brohters.. Oh man.. :lol

[Ice009]

What does that mean for the Spurs?

[21209]

They're playing the Heat, not the Thunder

[Strategic]

Hopefully won't have more than one first quarter foul on Leonard, Green or TD.

[RD2191]

:wakeup

[TheGreatYacht]

Zarba was born in NY. His kid was born in NY. He went to school in NY. Road teams have a 55 win % in the 2014 Playoffs. I don't think he's a Heat fan...

Tony Brothers *ugh* was born in VA. Home teams are 9-1 in the 2014 Playoffs. I don't think he has a favorite team, he just stuffs his pockets $$$ if you know what I mean...

Monty McCutchen was born in San Angelo, Tx. Spurs went 2-1 in last years Finals with him (won Games 1 & 5, lost Game 7) Home teams have a 69 win % in the 2014 Playoffs. I think he'll be the fairest ref today IMO

BILL KENNEDY IS AN ALTERNATE... Anybody know if he's eligible to ref next game? Fuck that guy

[spursparker9]

Kawhi or Danny or both is going to pick up 2 quick fouls within 5 mins of the game.

[EVAY]

Kawhi or Danny or both is going to pick up 2 quick fouls within 5 mins of the game.

This is less of a prediction than a quote from the NBA offices on "how to ref game 3".

[EVAY]

I had already expected that Miami would win tonight (first game home from 'crampgate', etc. etc., and that the Spurs would have to try mightily in order to win game 4 (which I hope that we will) - but this just kinda makes it official!!

[EVAY]

Brothers isn't corrupt, imo; he does not play favorites - he is an imbecile for both teams.

[DBMethos]

Brothers isn't corrupt, imo; he does not play favorites - he is an imbecile for both teams.

That's about right. Expect blown calls every which way...just hope it doesn't come down to something stupid in crunch time.

[Beaverfuzz]

Rather have Brothers on the road than at home.

:flag:
:lobt2:

[mudyez]

I'm pretty sure, they will ref a good game!

[313]

Rather have Brothers on the road than at home.

:flag:
:lobt2:home team 9-1 with Tony

[mudyez]

The NBA has the best basketball refs in the world.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Brothers isn't corrupt, imo; he does not play favorites - he is an imbecile for both teams.

Agreed, he's just a bonehead that makes bonehead calls which unfortunately are usually bad enough to swing momentum..

[FromWayDowntown]

This crew worked Game 3 of the East Finals, which Miami won at home. In terms of Finals experience, this is about the least experienced crew the league could reasonably put together this year. McCutchen has worked every Finals since 2009 and tonight will be his 10th Finals game. Brothers has worked the last 3 Finals, but this will be only his 4th Finals game. Zarba has never worked the Finals. Collectively, this crew has 14 games of Finals experience. Compare that to the Game 1 crew, which had 27 collective games of Finals experience and the Game 2 crew, which had 35 (though most of those were Danny Crawford's 30).

McCutchen

Miami is 8-8 in the Big 3 era with McCutchen; they are 4-2 at home during that span; they are 2-4 in the Finals. Miami is 2-1 in the 2014 Playoffs with McCutchen (won Game 3 at Charlotte, lost Game 3 at Brooklyn, won Game 3 vs. Indiana).

Spurs are 13-10 all-time with McCutchen, 5-7 on the road, and 2-1 in the Finals; the Spurs are 2-1 with McCutchen in the 2014 Playoffs (won Game 7 vs. Dallas, lost Game 4 at Portland, won Game 5 vs. OKC)

Brothers

Miami is 8-4 in the Big 3 era with Brothers; they are 5-1 at home during that span; they are 1-2 in the Finals. Miami is 1-0 in the 2014 Playoffs with Brothers (won Game 3 vs. Indiana).

Spurs are 10-3 all-time with Brothers, 3-2 on the road, and 2-1 in the Finals; the Spurs are 2-1 with Brothers in the 2014 Playoffs (lost Game 3 at Dallas, won Game 1 vs. Portland, won Game 5 vs. OKC)

Zarba

Miami is 4-0 in the Big 3 era with Zarba; they are 2-0 at home during that span. Miami is 2-0 in the 2014 Playoffs with Zarba (won Game 4 at Brooklyn, won Game 3 vs. Indiana).

Spurs are 3-2 all-time with Zarba, 2-2 on the road; the Spurs are 1-1 in the 2014 Playoffs with Zarba (lost Game 6 at Dallas, won Game 6 at OKC)

[mudyez]

I'm sure they will call the game straight down the line, while beeing nearly perfect in their judgements.

[Spur|n|Austin]

This crew worked Game 3 of the East Finals, which Miami won at home. In terms of Finals experience, this is about the least experienced crew the league could reasonably put together this year. McCutchen has worked every Finals since 2009 and tonight will be his 10th Finals game. Brothers has worked the last 3 Finals, but this will be only his 4th Finals game. Zarba has never worked the Finals. Collectively, this crew has 14 games of Finals experience. Compare that to the Game 1 crew, which had 27 collective games of Finals experience and the Game 2 crew, which had 35 (though most of those were Danny Crawford's 30).

McCutchen

Miami is 8-8 in the Big 3 era with McCutchen; they are 4-2 at home during that span; they are 2-4 in the Finals. Miami is 2-1 in the 2014 Playoffs with McCutchen (won Game 3 at Charlotte, lost Game 3 at Brooklyn, won Game 3 vs. Indiana).

Spurs are 13-10 all-time with McCutchen, 5-7 on the road, and 2-1 in the Finals; the Spurs are 2-1 with McCutchen in the 2014 Playoffs (won Game 7 vs. Dallas, lost Game 4 at Portland, won Game 5 vs. OKC)

Brothers

Miami is 8-4 in the Big 3 era with Brothers; they are 5-1 at home during that span; they are 1-2 in the Finals. Miami is 1-0 in the 2014 Playoffs with Brothers (won Game 3 vs. Indiana). This is Brothers' 4th Finals game in his career.

Spurs are 10-3 all-time with Brothers, 3-2 on the road, and 2-1 in the Finals; the Spurs are 2-1 with Brothers in the 2014 Playoffs (lost Game 3 at Dallas, won Game 1 vs. Portland, won Game 5 vs. OKC)

Zarba

Miami is 4-0 in the Big 3 era with Zarba; they are 2-0 at home during that span; this is Zarba's first-ever Finals game. Miami is 2-0 in the 2014 Playoffs with Zarba (won Game 4 at Brooklyn, won Game 3 vs. Indiana).

Spurs are 3-2 all-time with Zarba, 2-2 on the road; the Spurs are 1-1 in the 2014 Playoffs with Zarba (lost Game 6 at Dallas, won Game 6 at OKC)

This is his time to shine for Miami and keep that streak alive!

[doobs]

The NBA has the best basketball refs in the world.

Is it obligatory for game announcers to say that? Is there a contract with the NBA and the television networks that requires that?

It gets annoying.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I remember Miami fans weren't happy with Brothers the last two years in the Finals.

Disappointed to see Zarba in there, he'll be on his knees for the King.

[Captivus]

Kawhi or Danny or both is going to pick up 2 quick fouls within 5 mins of the game.

That usually happens...with all refs...sadly...
Those are minor things that common fans dont see...major effect without notice.

[FromWayDowntown]

For whatever it's worth, this would certainly seem to indicate that Joey Crawford and Mike Callahan have Game 4; I literally have no idea who the 3rd might be for that game.

I'm very curious about a couple of things associated with the way the referees are assigned for the rest of this series.

1. For the last two years, the Finals alternates all worked Finals games at some point during the series; in 2011, the alternates for the first 4 games didn't work any Finals games at all. If the league is sticking with 12 officials for this round, it's hard to come up with a likely 12th official (given the assumption that Joey and Callahan will be the 10th and 11th) other than one of the 3 alternates so far -- John Goble, Ed Malloy, Bill Kennedy (maybe Tom Washington, who did work 2 games in the conference finals). It's interesting to me that unless the league is expanding the pool of Finals officials, either Kennedy or Malloy (or perhaps both) won't call these Finals. (it's a good kind of interesting, since I'm not really sure why either has been a Finals official in prior years).

2. In the past, with the 2-3-2 format, the league could use a fairly simple pattern to assign officials to Finals games, which kept the general rule about limiting the number of instances in which an official would work multiple games in the same series in the same city. It has long been true that the Game 5 officials are (almost always) some combination of the Game 1 and Game 2 crews and that the Game 6 officials are some combination of the Games 2-4 crews and that the Game 7 officials have been the Game 3 and Game 4 crew chiefs along with a third (in both 2010 and 2013, the Game 7 crew was the Game 1 chief, the Game 3 chief, and the Game 4 chief):


Game 1 (@MIA) McCutchen, Brothers, Phillips
Game 2 (@MIA) J. Crawford, Malloy, Mauer
Game 3 (@SA) D. Crawford, Capers, Davis
Game 4 (@SA) Foster, Callahan, Kennedy
Game 5 (@SA) McCutchen (Gm. 1), Brothers (Gm. 1), Malloy (Gm. 2)
Game 6 (@MIA) J. Crawford (Gm. 2), Callahan (Gm. 4), Mauer (Gm. 2)
Game 7 (@MIA) D. Crawford (Gm. 3), Foster (Gm. 4), McCutchen (Gms. 1 & 5)

With that rotation, only McCutchen, Joey, and Mauer worked more than one game in Miami and nobody worked twice in SA. (this logic basically applied in 2010, which was the last prior instance of a 7 game Finals).

This year, with the 2-2-1-1-1 format, if you use the same logic, you end up with almost everyone who works multiple games working each of those games in the same city. Thus, if history holds and the Game 5 crew will be either the entire Game 1 crew or some combination of Games 1 & 2, then you end up with an entire crew (likely Foster, Mauer, and Capers) that will have worked 2 games in SA and the Game 6 crew (should it be necessary) will most likely be a crew that will have worked almost exclusively in Miami. I'm not sure if the league will see that as a big deal or not; in theory, it's not a big deal at all (and the league will undoubtedly say that its officials call the games the same without regard to which gym they happen to be in), but if you end up with a big-time homer on the road twice, that could potentially be an issue.

[mercos]

How they call Kawhi's play will be critical. Thus far, he has not been allowed to play at all, getting into foul trouble early in games 1 and 2. Big difference from last year, where Kawhi was a good scorer and excellent rebounder against the Heat. If that trend continues, Spurs will struggle.

[mavsfan1000]

Leonard needs to stop using 2 hands on Lebron. The good refs know that is a foul. Lebron is virtually unguardable if you don't foul. They should just put Leonard on Wade or Lewis and put Green on Lebron. Green is the least important of the starters. Leonard is important on the offensive end as well.

[UZER]

Leonard needs to stop using 2 hands on Lebron. The good refs know that is a foul. Lebron is virtually unguardable if you don't foul. They should just put Leonard on Wade or Lewis and put Green on Lebron. Green is the least important of the starters. Leonard is important on the offensive end as well.

The sad part is, LeBron uses hands on everybody and still always ends up with 1 foul at the end of the game.

[TheGoldStandard]

The sad part is, LeBron uses hands on everybody and still always ends up with 1 foul at the end of the game.

Uses hands and forearms, dude clears out and pushes off before he gets the ball and as he's driving

[Jimcs50]

He did great game when we closed out OKC.

Brothers will not be reason if we lose. It will be be because Spurs do not pass ball or they miss gimmies.

[spurraider21]

i feel like they could announce any trio of refs and the posters here would say "omg we're fucked."

just stfu, we beat the thunder in OKC with brothers. we won game 1 in miami last year with mccutchen, and he also reffed game 7, which hardly had controversial calls, also in miami

[Skull-1]

I'm sure they will call the game straight down the line, while beeing nearly perfect in their judgements.
:lol

[BillMc]

This is less of a prediction than a quote from the NBA offices on "how to ref game 3".

:lol

[mavsfan1000]

i feel like they could announce any trio of refs and the posters here would say "omg we're fucked."

just stfu, we beat the thunder in OKC with brothers. we won game 1 in miami last year with mccutchen, and he also reffed game 7, which hardly had controversial calls, also in miami
Yep basically it. And they will make bad calls. Refs have the toughest job.

[sammy]

We are screwed with this rigged refs tonight! We are screwed if the refs don't allow our defenders to play! Rigged bastards! Lebroom can push off and get away with an offensive foul and we can't even blow on the bitch without the whistle blowing! Fuck these crooked refs!

[Beaverfuzz]

home team 9-1 with Tony

Who's the 1 again? :flag: :lobt2:

[Jimcs50]

Who's the 1 again? :flag: :lobt2:

OKC close out

[Spurs 4 The Win]

OKC close out

Wrong, we had him for game 5 lmfao, get your facts straight

[Beaverfuzz]

OKC close out


That was Danny Crawford, you mixed up Brothers and Crawford like I did! :lol

[313]

Rather have Brothers on the road than at home.

:flag:
:lobt2:


home team 9-1 with Tony


Who's the 1 again? :flag: :lobt2:nevermind

[Beaverfuzz]

nevermind


ok

[HI-FI]

this definitely isn't reassuring to me. I keep hoping Silver is better than Stern, but we'll find out. the officiating in game 2 was bullshit, we'll see if the league continues to push Lebron and his quest for a bogus threepeat.

[therealtruth]

Zarba is pretty bad. Definitely overwhelmed by the moment.

[Spurminator]

Solid game by the refs. Overall very even.

[spurraider21]

Spurs won in OKC in game 6 with Tony Brothers reffing and now won game 3 in Miami with Brothers. Can you all stop bitching now?

[vander]

Refs made multiple bail-out and momentum killing calls in favor of the Spurs in the 4th. Miami continues to storm back if not for refs

[Mal]

Good game by refs. Couple tough, but good calls by Brothers. I am surprised

[Brazil]

No complain about the refs tonite tbh

[cd021]

Brothers made plenty of great calls. Some of which went against Lebron :tu

Thought for a second to start the 3rd, Spurs were going to have some phantom calls but the Heat had 2 or 3 offensive fouls that killed their momentum.