According to a report in the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets are frustrated with the way that officials are allowing the Blazers to play Yao Ming. “They were very physical,” coach Rick Adelman said. “They put their hands on him. They wrestled with him from the top of the key all the way down. It’s up to us to have more patience, to move the ball more. It’s up to him to understand what they’re doing and counter it. ... If the officials are going to allow them to manhandle him like they did, we’ve got to find an answer for that.” Added Yao: “I know coach has complained to the league for me. I just have to do my job.” Adelman said the whistles were inconsistent. “In the first six minutes, they must have called seven or eight fouls on both teams,” he said. “Hand-checking, everything else. Then it was like, ‘Let’s don’t call anything else the rest of the game.’ ” http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/58743/20090424/rockets_frustrated_with_officiating/
And the lobbying has begun. The sad thing is, this crap usually works. I expect Yao to get away with murder tonight and for Gregzilla to be saddled with foul trouble all night.
Yao is a flopper. Loved watching him purposely lock arms with one of the Blazers and then flailing and getting the call. Total bs.
I hate to say it, but we need to respond. We need to talk about what Scola/Artest and Battier are getting away with with their grabbing, holding and pushing while Yao is allowed to clobber any guard who penetrates. They'll call the first couple on him, but they won't put him into serious foul trouble because they don't want to decide the game. However, by not putting him in danger of fouling out, they are deciding the game.
I know this garbage is just a chess match... but damn it is annoying to see a team complaining about officiating when the opposing team's big men all had 5-6 fouls, each. Also, the Blazers were in the penalty, with the Rockets shooting free throws by halfway through each quarter except the 4th.
As I read that entire article I just kept thinking, "Take the freaking blinders off and look at Battier and Artest. We matched your physical play you morons. Kind of sucks doesn't it? Only difference is our superstar isn't soft and can dominate even with all the holding and grabbing. Sorry if yours can't do the same.
Crap. The complaining is getting too loud. It's now become THE issue. Will Nate have the team prepared? This team is going to have to jump off to a quick start or this is going to be looooong night. They need to play with some under control aggression. Keep that damn crowd and the refs out of it!
wow, blaming the officiating, own up to the game. i know we bitch about refs effecting games but if comes down to the officiating to win the game you probably weren't in position to win anyway. btw, have the blazers recently ever complained publicly to the media like this and played the victim card? http://wawaweewa.ytmnd.com/
I can feel it too! haha jk. I dont know if the refs have something against Yao, but I remember Van Gundy also complained for Yao and got fined for a good $100,000 from the league.
This is hilarious! If anything, we are the ones getting hosed by inconsistent calls! Roy drives the lane and gets bumped, no call. Von Wafer does the same thing and the whistles are a blowin!
It's just lobbying for an advantage. I doubt they really think they're getting unfair officiating. Any advantage helps, including as favourable officiating as possible.
Another thing the Rockets didn't like were what they considered moving screens by Portland's bigs to free up Brandon Roy.
This is ridiculous, as we learned after game 1 Portland Trail Blazer fans are the only fans on the planet who complain about officials. It's probably just a big lie. I bet Adelman never said any of that.
I thought the team that could put the ball in the basket more than the other team won the game. Not who could cry more to the officials. Shit, Rick man up and tell your team to play tougher.
If you tell a lie often enough, people will start to believe it. The NBA has shown that complaining about calls gets you an advantage. Just ask Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich and Doc Rivers.
Honestly all this complaining could help Portland. Less contact will help our multitude of scorers more than it will theirs.
tell scola to not play so physical then...also tell artest to stop bodying roy like he does, thats a foul and they arent calling it. im calling the league for roy hopefully he just does his job though