Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers expressed his disappointment in the NBA’s officiating game report from Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Rivers said that the report showed 13 officiating errors that put the 76ers at a disadvantage compared to four for the Boston Celtics. Rivers commented before Sunday’s Game 7 at TD Garden that a 13-4 disparity in a one or two-point game is hard to recover from. Rivers explained that the report showed missed calls, including the trip on James Harden, the loose ball where they called a timeout, and a foul on Smart on the play, which could have been free throws. Rivers acknowledged that it is a human game and players must try to play through it. He added that disparities are usually not that great, and most games have two or three missed calls, which are manageable.
Missed Calls Frustrate James Harden
After Game 6, James Harden expressed his frustration with the missed calls throughout the night. He stated that he is the number one player for fouls that do not get called and that the officials told him at halftime that they missed a couple of fouls. He added that missed shots and fouls got him out of rhythm and made it challenging to transition points for the Celtics.
Rivers and the 76ers are looking to make it to the Eastern finals for the first time since 2001, while Rivers seeks his first conference finals appearance since 2012. Rivers mentioned that everyone feels pressure in these situations, but it is an honor to be part of them. He explained that putting yourself out there is worth it because it is about winning, and if you want to win, you have to put yourself in these situations repeatedly. Rivers told his players that it is worth it and that they should keep pushing.
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