Anybody who watches the NBA knows that superstars often get the benefit of the doubt from officials. It’s been that way for years, and there’s no indication of this dynamic changing any time soon.
Raptors coach Dwane Casey has had about enough of it. The Cavaliers, whom Casey’s team is battling in the Eastern Conference finals, is replete with stars. Toronto is not. Guess which way he thinks the refs are leaning?
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Complaining about officiating carries more weight after a win. If you do it after a loss, it sounds a lot like you’re making excuses. The Raptors rolled to a 99-84 Game 3 win Saturday night, and by USA Today’s count, Casey afterward made at least six different points about what he implied to be biased officiating.
“I said it before the game. We have the greatest officials in the league,” Casey said. “But how you can miss fouls like that and calls like that. I can’t see it. I’ve been in this league a long time, in college basketball a long time, but again, there’s got to be consistency. The same foul on one end has got to be the same foul on the other.”
Dime Magazine offers this evidence supporting Casey’s assertions:
Watch Bismack Biyombo's block on LeBron that was somehow called a foul #Raptors #Cavs #NBA https://t.co/UMfB5KRKtt pic.twitter.com/LsRcbMDs7r
— Dime Magazine (@DimeMag) May 22, 2016
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Casey said Bismack Biyombo, who was a monster in Game 3 with 26 rebounds (!) and four blocks, “gets hit almost on every rebound and put-back there is, and he just doesn’t get the calls whether he’s rolling to the bucket. We’ve just got to have consistency with that.”
Casey also pointed out the Raptors won the game despite shooting zero free throws in the fourth quarter (Toronto outscored Cleveland 19-14 in the fourth). The lack of calls is “frustrating,” he said, “but our guys played through it. So that shows a sense of toughness, a sense of togetherness.”
It’s not the first time this series Casey has made his feelings about the refs known. A fine may be forthcoming, even if he does have a point.