The Grim-Ripper

He's a great player and seems like a solid citizen, but how does Richard 'Rip' Hamilton get away with all the hand checking and holding game after game? He plays well over 40 minutes and barely gets 4 fouls, yet he's aggressively slashing to basket and picking up his guy at half court all game long.

Pierce picked-up 2 questionable blocking calls when Hamilton drove the lane in Game 2 and Ray got called for a foul when Rip jumped into Allen while taking a shot from the baseline, yet Hamilton gets the benefit of the doubt. Plus he's even more aggressive on the defensive end. Hamilton constantly hand checks, hip checks, and swipes at the ballhandler but doesn't get called for a foul when on D. In Game 1, he gave KG a forearm to the head while fighting through a pick yet didn't get called but the best was when he held onto KG's arm with two hands and it was Garnett who picked up his second foul in the first quarter of Game 3!

I'm not sure what's worse, Chauncey Billups' leg kick to draw a foul when he shoots or Hamilton's hand checking? Maybe it's because he's so skinny and non-threatening looking or maybe it's the fragile protective mask he wears that makes the Refs think he's really not that aggressive? Either way, the Refs have to stop protecting the Pistons and letting them get away with this crap or the Celts won't have a chance this series!