Mannix said the officiating crew assigned to Game 6 — Mike Callahan,
Monty McCutchen and Ken Mauer — appears to be one that will help
Boston’s cause. “It will be a liberally called game,” Mannix said.
“Just based on the names and what you’re saying, I think that favors
Boston. I think they’re going to be able to get away with a little bit
more physically against Dwight Howard and some other guys. That’s a
good trio, I think for the Celtics.”
Well, well, well. Is the league throwing a bone to the Celtics?
Aside from Ken Mauer, I'm not all that familiar with this crew, and that's a good thing (Click here for a scouting report). I start to cringe when I see the likes of Bennett Salvatore, Joey Crawford, Bill Kennedy, and Dick Bavetta on the court.
Mannix had this to say about Crawford's tech on Rondo in Game 5:
“What Joey Crawford did was embarrassing,” Mannix said. “Rajon Rondo
was not talking to Joey Crawford, and he just injected him into the
story.” Added Mannix: “Joey I hope never touches another Celtics game
ever again after his performance in Orlando.”
And what about Dwight Howard and his "accidental" elbows?
Asked if Dwight Howard is a dirty player, Mannix said there’s an
element of that to the big man’s game. “Everybody’s saying no. I think
there’s a twinge of dirt in Dwight Howard,” Mannix said. “He swings
that elbow. And the NBA has noticed it, believe me, I’ve talked to
people over there about this. They know he wields that elbow as a
weapon sometimes. … Once you start swinging [the elbow], that’s a
punch. You’re swinging it like it’s a weapon. … There’s definitely a
bit of dirtiness to his game.”
Let's hope Mauer, McCutchen and Callahan keep an eye on Dwight.