Video: 'Officials taking over the game'

April, 30, 2012
4/30/12
11:45
AM ET


In ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless discuss what the punishment should be for Rajon Rondo's ejection in Game 1. While both agree that Rondo was in the wrong, Smith says the league should take the "human element" and the "intensity of the moment" into consideration" in these types of situations.

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"Clearly he was fouled, and it wasn't called, and he was upset about that, and he felt like he was getting hacked," says Smith, who went on to criticize NBA officiating in general.

"You've got officials taking over the game as if we've come to see them," he says.

"I understand inevitably they're going to call for a suspension, but I'm really not pleased with that at all," he adds.

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TEAM LEADERS

POINTS
Paul Pierce
PTS AST STL MIN
18.6 4.8 1.1 33.4
OTHER LEADERS
ReboundsK. Garnett 7.8
AssistsR. Rondo 11.1
StealsR. Rondo 1.8
BlocksK. Garnett 0.9