Did anybody see the Clippers @ Celtics game Friday night? Between the 3rd and 4th quarters, an unknown substance was released into the air directly behind the Celtics bench. The Celtics players and staff reported trouble breathing and watering eyes. The game was delayed for about 10 minutes while the substance dissipated and then the game was resumed.

Although no official announcement was made, the speculation now is that someone left a cannister of mace as a prank. Has anyone heard any more about this incident?

As far as game management and officiating go. . . does the NBA have any policy on this type of interruption? If not, is there any scuttlebutt about what they might or might not do in future cases?

Hue Hollins was the crew chief and, I thought, handled the situation as well as could be hoped under the circumstances. SportsCenter had audio of the conversation between Hollins, Jim O'Brien and Dennis Johnson. O'Brien wanted the game suspended. Hollins politely but firmly said they'd continue to play and basically was taking the responsibility on his own shoulders. Johnson was concerned that his players would be affected by the mace when they were on the Celtics end of the floor. Hollins told him basically, "We're gonna play. If the situation doesn't improve, we'll go to Plan B". Johnson understandably asked, "What's Plan B?". Hollins told him something like, "Go back to Plan A". They both laughed.

I thought Hollins showed a great deal of composure in a very nerve-wracking situation.

Chuck

Maybe it's the same noxious substance that makes the BoSox choke each year!

So how does Matsui look in left? :confused:

They could play Chopsui out there and still win the division.

I didn't see the game, but it sounds like Hugh Hollins was pretty calm under allot of pressure. There should probably be a standard procedure established through out the league, and probably the NCAA as well, to handle these situations.

Last year I was evaluating a crew at a HS Boys Varsity game. Not nearly as nerve racking as that, but some kid pulled the fire alarm. The crew met quickly with game management and they decided to evacuate the building. The head maintaince guy for the school went in and found the problem, they returned and finished the game. The entire incident took about 10 minutes, but I thought they handled it very well. The only complaint leveled at the kid's parents.

Blackhawk

Please don’t take this as a condescending statement in any way to you or to the refs.

They may have handled it well in your eyes but in reality they had no choice in doing what they did. Once the fire alarm went off the control of the gym and the thus the game was out of their hands. State and national fire codes are very strict when it comes to fire alarms in schools. It is the rare jurisdiction that does not require that all school alarms be connected directly to the fire departments central dispatch. If the fire crews pulled up to the school and the game was still going on...

Don't worry RecRef, you'll have try allot harder than that to offend me. Remember, I do referee High School basketball ~ I hear things much worse than that and don't take offence. Hell, just watch theshortbaldref's posts, he actually tries to offend me and can't get it done. ;)

As for the comment, I agree. However, I was in the same school district this year watching my son play Middle School basketball ball. The fire alarm went off 3 times during the game and the school administrator told the referees to keep playing, that they had had some trouble with the alarm system and to disregard it. I had exactly the same thought that you had!

Blackhawk