Was Isaiah Thomas out of line to complain about the officiating after Game 4?
Debate the answer with Chad Finn and Boston sports fans at The Sports Q.
Welcome to Boston.com’s Sports Q, our daily conversation, initiated by you and moderated by Chad Finn, about a compelling topic in Boston sports. Here’s how it works: You submit questions to Chad through Twitter, Facebook, email, his
Friday chat, and any other outlet you prefer. He’ll pick one each day (except for Saturday) to answer, then we’ll take the discussion to the comments. Chad will stop by several times per day to navigate. But you drive the conversation.
Complaining about the refs after a game in which you had six turnovers and your team gave up a 26-0 run is bad form, Isaiah. Agreed? – Evan R.
First, here’s what Isaiah Thomas had to say about the officiating after the Wizards’ 121-102 smackdown of the Celtics in Game 4 Sunday night:
“[The Wizards] were very physical. The refs were allowing them to hold and grab and do all those things. I think, especially in that third quarter, I might have hit the ground five or six straight times. I‘m not the one who likes hitting the ground. It’s gotta be called differently. … [It] can’t be allowed [for me] to be held and grabbed every pin down, every screen and I don’t even shoot one free throw. I play the same way each and every night. So I think that has to change.”
I do agree, Evan, that it might look like a master-class in excuse-making to complain about not getting any calls in a game in which you were run off the court in the second half. It should be noted, too, that after an excellent first half, Thomas was a mess in the second half, turning the ball over repeatedly and rarely making a pass that led to anything for a teammate. He is a great player, but he is not a great playmaker in the classic point guard sense.
But I have no problem with him doing it. None. Because after losing a game that essentially turns this into a best-of-3 isn’t the time to plant that seed in the refs’ head to watch out for the general subtle malice the Wizards try to inflict when he’s trying to get free, when do you do it?
There’s no better time to bring it up, and what’s the worst that can happen – that he doesn’t get any calls? He doesn’t get many as it is. Thomas is a genius at initiating contact near the hoop, but it doesn’t always lead to a whistle, and he never gets the Dwyane Wade-type of call in which the whistle comes as a split-second after we see whether the shot goes in or not.
Thomas is a superstar, but he still gets officiated like he’s the 60th pick of the draft trying to make a name for himself. He has a legit beef and there’s no harm in speaking up. It may seem petty. It seems to me like it’s smart strategy.
What do you guys say? Was Thomas right or wrong in complaining about the officiating? Blow your whistle in the comments.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com