Filed under: Celtics , Lakers , NBA Playoffs , NBA Referees , NBA Finals The officials for tonight’s Celtics – Lakers NBA Finals Game 7 have been announced: Joey Crawford, Danny Crawford and Scott Foster. Joey Crawford was the lead official in Games 1 and 5 of the Finals, and he lived up to his reputation as the NBA ref least likely to suffer a fool: his crews doled out three technicals in each game. ( Rasheed Wallace , Paul Pierce and Ron Artest got nailed in Game 1. Derek Fisher , Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen earned them in Game 5.) Foster worked Game 4, when Wallace and Nate Robinson were each rung up on techs. Dan Crawford worked only Game 3 with Bill Kennedy and Bennett Salvatore in what was the series’ most controversial crew. L.A. won that game in Boston, with the Celtics racking up seven more personal fouls than the Lakers. No techs were handed out. Does the crew favor one team over the other? Joey Crawford’s lack of patience gives an ever-so-slight edge to the Lakers. But really, this is a good, solid crew. (As long as the Spurs or Mavericks aren’t involved.) Perhaps the most interesting note is that Foster is the current NBA ref most closely tied to the Tim Donaghy scandal. A media report back in 2008 uncovered that Donaghy had called Foster 134 times over a six-month span in the middle of Donaghy’s illegal betting spree. The NBA denied Foster was involved in the betting ring , the FBI reportedly found no evidence Foster did anything illegal and Foster went on as one of the NBA’s most oft-used referees.
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Joey Crawford Leads Game 7 Ref Crew
