“I just missed a layup, I guess.”
That was as much as anyone could get Boston Celtics star point guard Kemba Walker ot say about the officiating in Wednesday’s Game 6 loss to the Toronto Raptors.
In a game marred by questionable officiating at several points — ranging from probably-solid airspace fouls and players getting technicals for incidental contact with players behind them to egregious non-calls like the one Walker alluded to — one incident in particular stuck out.
Nick Nurse, on the court, in live-game action.
Boston All-Star swingman may have even passed to him, thinking it was a Celtic camped in the corner looking for the open shot.
It couldn't be any fucking clearer in the goddamn rule book
"A technical foul shall be addressed for unsportsmanlike tactics such as…
5. A couch entering onto the court without permission of an official" https://t.co/hTUNAoiTLp
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) September 10, 2020
“Yeah, I turned it over — that was my fault. I can’t blame Nick Nurse — he’s not playing,” graciously replied the rising star when asked about that sequence.
“I had no idea,” echoed head coach Brad Stevens. “I wasn’t paying as much attention to that; I’m just worried about when we can control.”
Asked if he’d had any thoughts about it the next day, and the Indiana native had even less to say.
“Nope.”
Didn't realize until after the game the reason Tatum passed to Nurse wasn't just because Nurse was standing out of the coach box, but he was literally standing in bounds in the corner.
"That was my fault. Can’t blame Nick Nurse. He’s not playing. It was my fault," Tatum said. pic.twitter.com/yHbyqn0OXw
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) September 10, 2020
Outspoken as always — and crafted in a way to complain without the risk of incurring the fining capacity of the league for criticizing the officiating — likely the source of at least some of the other Celtics’ silence — Jaylen Brown had some very thinly-veiled criticism of the Toronto head coach.
“As a respectable organization I expect them to act accordingly,” he suggested when asked about related late-game chirping.
“Things seem to get out of hand at times from coaching staffs. Let’s keep it under control. Let’s keep playing basketball”
Pressed about that reply, Brown elaborated.
Celtics see Game 6 ripped from their hands in 125-122 2x OT thriller https://t.co/K9PaVrSASC
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) September 10, 2020
“I think a lot of emotions [are] very intense and things like that and sometimes things seem to go overboard at times,” he said.
“Let’s keep it in check, let’s keep it respectable. And let’s keep playing basketball. Grown men should be able to control themselves, especially coaching staff. So, let’s continue to do all we’ve got to do play basketball and be ready to fight.”
Stevens emphasized the importance of saying focused on what can be controlled as he often does, and as frustrating as this loss was, it’s probably the wisest move.
“You move on and control what you can control,” offered the Celtics coach.
WATCH: Boston Celtics-Toronto Raptors full Game 6, Round 2 highlights https://t.co/LTSsE6d8ms
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) September 10, 2020
“We’ve got to do better, obviously, and this number of possessions, but they were really playing … it was [a] great basketball game.”
Even with the officiating looking as bad as some fans often complaining about, there is a kernel of truth in the old adage that the team shouldn’t have let things get to that point in the first place.
Not that anyone wants to hear that today.
“Throw some ice on your legs,” said Stevens. “Get ready for Friday.”
