In the second quarter, Kevin Garnett was given a delay of game technical for tipping the ball toward the sideline after it had gone through the hoop. Ray Allen received a tech for making a face of disagreement while walking back down the court. Toward the end of the same quarter, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers got a technical for saying "Come on, Eddie" to referee Ed Malloy, who also gave a technical to Rondo in the third quarter.
While Rivers had a lot to say about the technicals after Game 1, the Celtics did not have many complaints during their wins in the first two rounds of the playoffs, during which they beat the Hawks and the 76ers.
Elsewhere in the league, the officials were also critiqued for their handling of Game 5 between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers. The refs gave the Pacers' Tyler Hansbrough a flagrant foul for hitting Dwyane Wade in the face as he went up for a layup. In the ensuing Pacers possession, Udonis Haslem did not make any attempt at the ball as he smashed both arms across Hansbrough's face, but he was not ejected and only received a flagrant foul. Later in the game, the Heat's Dexter Pittman threw an intentional, dangerous elbow to the Pacers' Lance Stephenson, but he also only received a flagrant foul and was not ejected. The NBA handed down suspensions to Pittman and Haslem the next day.
Thus far into the postseason, what grade would you give NBA officials?
What Grade Would You Give the NBA Officials This Postseason?
