Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg blasts refs

Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg blasts refs about how officiating of Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas.

The trend of NBA head coaches criticizing game officials continued Sunday after the Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg ripped into the way refs handled Game 4 of the Bulls' first round series against the Boston Celtics.

Hoiberg was upset about the way that Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas is being officiated.

"Let me say this, Isaiah Thomas is a hell of a player," Hoiberg said. "An unbelievable competitor -- he's a warrior, everything he's going through right now. He had a hell of a game tonight. But when you're allowed to discontinue your dribble on every possession, he is impossible to guard. He's impossible to guard when you're able to put your hand underneath the ball and take two or three steps and put it back down. It's impossible to guard him in those situations."

Hoiberg even said that refs told him they would look out and watch Thomas to see if he was carrying the ball.

"They talk about it every year. They talk about it every year, being a point of emphasis," Hoiberg said. "It should be called. I've said all I'm going to say about it. I'm not going to talk about it anymore."

Thomas scored 33 points in Boston's 104–95 win to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

Game 5 is Wednesday in Boston.

Hoiberg can expect to hear from league officials soon about his open criticism of the officiating.

Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale was fined $30,000 for his comments about the officiating during his team series against the San Antonio Spurs.

- Scooby Axson