TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors were eliminated from the playoffs after a hard-fought loss to their arch-rivals, the NBA referees.
“It was a really tough game. Very physical, and a lot of calls could have gone either way,” said star-referee Joe Crawford. “But in the end we dug deep and pulled out a win.”
Controversial calls plagued the Raptors throughout the series, often giving the referees the opportunities they needed to close out games. Many have chalked up the losses to the years of experience of the referees, which allowed them to manipulate foul calls to their advantage.
“The Raptors are a great squad and full of a lot of young talent,” said ref Derrick Stafford. “They just need a few more years and a GM who’s willing to spend a little more money if they want to make the second round.”
At press time, the Toronto Maple Leafs were still maligning their defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
