To say the officiating was a topic of discussion during Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals series between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets on Sunday would be an epic understatement. The two teams were called for a combined 45 personal fouls and four technical fouls, and Chris Paul was ejected with 4.4 seconds left in the game. That continued a trend this postseason of things getting testy between players, coaches and officials.
The players on the court weren't the only ones complaining. Multiple players chimed in on Twitter with both specific and general observations. Brooklyn Nets forward Jared Dudley pointed out that Chris Paul should've drawn a foul call on a specific shot late in the third quarter.
I don't like the flop but that's a foul.. look where Livingston jump from and land, then look at his hand that contested the shot.. The other camera view shows it all https://t.co/EvI3LQTpvO
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) April 28, 2019
His Hand hits his wrist on the follow through and he can't land.. Livingston foot is right where he's suppose to land.. Yes Cp flop is ridiculous but in my opinion it's still a foul https://t.co/nERlqgSaPW
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) April 28, 2019
The league has to decide call all of them or none.. if they stop calling them players will adjust! Problem is they been calling them the WHOLE season https://t.co/R60IW82zLn
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) April 28, 2019
Dudley was joined by Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who pointed out that his team didn't get the same leeway during their first-round series against the same Rockets shooters, drawing jokes from his Jazz teammates about potential fines from the league.
My guys were not allowed to contest shots like that last week...or maybe i'm crazy and it's just camera angles 🤔 https://t.co/RvqYdCWzuC
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) April 28, 2019
Damn you could've just give me the 25,000 😂😂😂😂
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) April 28, 2019
Can we split it 👀😂😂😂
— Royce O'Neale (@BucketsONeale00) April 28, 2019
At least it would go to Charity and not in Gucci headbands 😂😂, annnnd i'm just a fan giving his point of view...
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) April 28, 2019
Damn @BucketsONeale00 why he come at you like that 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/OhEYyNPkH2
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) April 28, 2019
Not surprisingly, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban chimed in, as did Rockets GM Daryl Morey. As Gobert alluded to, both could be in line for a fine, which is what happened to Nets co-owner Joe Tsai in the first round, after he backed GM Sean Marks, who was suspended for entering the officials' locker room after a game.
It's on the @nba competition committee to get rid of the side to side foul. The defender has every right to the space. Offensive players are smart enough to take advantage of this. It's not on the refs. It's league stupidity
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) April 28, 2019
2 minute report is going to be very interesting tomorrow. Will tell you so much about the management of the nba officiating group
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) April 28, 2019
Been working on things since 2006 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://t.co/DchJM8vl2l
— Daryl Morey (@dmorey) April 28, 2019
As for how the Rockets and Warriors should deal with the officiating in Game 2 and the rest of the series, retired center Kendrick Perkins had one idea for what they should focus on going forward.
Everybody was so busy worried about getting fouls called, forgot about trying to win the game!!!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) April 28, 2019