The referees in Sunday’s Game 7 between the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers are wearing their super-sensitive pants — at least when it comes to the Pacers. Darren Collison found this out the hard way during the third quarter.
Collison was whistled for a foul that he did not agree with. He responded by making a gesture towards the ref seen in nearly every NBA game throughout the course of the season. The difference is that Collison was called for a technical.
REFS REALLY GAVE DARREN COLLISON A TECHNICAL FOR THIS IN A GAME 7 OF A PLAYOFF GAME pic.twitter.com/sM98rNzEJ2
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 29, 2018
This was the second questionable T charged to the Pacers. The first went to Lance Stephenson.
It is, of course, worth repeating that this is a Game 7 and if the Cavs lose, the second round of the NBA Playoffs will be without LeBron James for the first time since 2005.
The NBA has long been criticized of using shaky officiating to help its stars and big market teams advance in the playoffs. That may not be a completely fair criticism. But moments like these will only fuel to the fire.