Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome is $25,000 lighter in the wallet after blasting NBA officials following Sunday’s overtime thriller against Portland.
The 27-year-old didn’t hold back when discussing the refs’ performance in Cleveland’s 133-129 win, calling out one official by name and describing the officiating as “horrendous.”
It was a whistle-heavy game that saw both teams combine for 53 fouls and 70 free throws – way above the NBA’s typical game average of under 40 fouls.
“I thought the refs were really bad tonight, especially Natalie (Sago), she was really bad,” Jerome said after the game. “They kind of lose control of the game, and you just got to keep your head.”
The frustration was evident in his voice as he continued: “I thought that first half was ridiculous. Third quarter was horrendous.”
Despite his issues with the officiating, Jerome actually had one of his best games of the season. He put up 25 points, dished out six assists, and grabbed a career-high six steals.
He did pick up a technical foul for arguing with the refs, though.
Even Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson couldn’t ignore how the constant whistles disrupted the game’s flow.
“The game was so choppy,” Atkinson said. “We have great referees in this league. I just thought it wasn’t a great spectacle for the fans or for the media, or for us as coaches. It would just seem like it was constant stoppage.”
With the playoffs approaching, Atkinson isn’t waiting around to get his team ready. He’s drawing from past experience with the Hawks, where he learned some tough lessons about preparation.
“I’ve been part of a team that had a huge lead, more than we have now,” he explained. “We didn’t take our foot off the gas, but we started resting guys a lot. We really tried to almost over-strategize it.”
The win keeps Cleveland firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, even if it came with an expensive postgame comment for their backup guard.
