Problems with NBA Officiating
The simple truth is that referees have no way of calling games fair in the NBA, where the sport is played fast and the officials use their own senses to judge calls. But there are a number of measures the league can take to halt the complaining:
Assess technical fouls and fines to players who flop. There are many times when I have watched a replay of a foul where it is clear that the player who was supposedly hit dove to the ground for effect. This is not the theater and I do not want to see acting. It is hard enough to call a game correctly without having every player hitting the floor when softly nudged. The NBA could solve this problem by watching replays of questionable fouls and handing out fines after games or by allowing referees to give technicals to players who obviously, and sometimes it is painfully obvious, flop.
Stop calling "superstar" fouls and treat every player the same. As hard as this may be to do it is a given fact that superstars get better treatment by the referees. Last year in the playoffs, LeBron James hit the game-winning shot on a lay-up where he obviously traveled. The call wasn't made and the Wizards lost the series. Just because you recognize a player's name does not mean they deserve foul calls. I hate hearing announcers tell me how a foul was called because such and such player was due.
Call less fouls in general. The game is physical and the players should be allowed to play the game. The referees can take charge and show they mean business early, but in the second half and beyond the players should have to earn foul calls. I'm sick of seeing players march to the line for little to no contact.
Cut back on technical fouls. Players usually have a legit excuse for complaining all the time, the officiating in the NBA is not very good for the most part. Players are in the heat of battle and sometimes cannot control their emotions. NO ONE wants to see a team get free points because a referee has to prove he is a man. If anything, players who complain excessively should be noted during the game and assessed a fine after the game. But technical fouls should not help decide the outcome of a game. It is ridiculous. Officials need to control their ego as much as players do.
I am sorry if referees don't like players yelling at them and more sorry if David Stern thinks his league complains too much. But the right answer is not to punish NBA players. Come up with better standards for your referees and create a better game in general.
Published by Ankur Amin
I am a college student who loves to watch, talk and write about sports. My favorite teams are based in Detroit, but I try my best to say unbiased. View profile
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4 Comments
Post a CommentI am so sick of the refs letting one team play physical and when the other team plays the same way......WHISTLE.......For instance, like tonight Im watching the Denver Nuggets at the Orlando Magic.
Denvers been on a hot streak since the trade went down and they came into Orlando on a 5 game winning streak. The refs call a hand check on Orlando, but let Dwight Howard and the Magic get beat down by the Nuggets, its not the first time Ive watched the refs let other teams just foul Dwight above the head, hold, illegal screens, you name it and its consistent.
So Orlando thinks the refs are going to let the two teams play a playoff type of game. The Magic are not afforded that luxury, they get called for everything in the book while the other team gets to play physical Orlando has to play 5 Lebron James, if you breathe in their space...FOUL....and Orlando still wins their share of games.
Maybe if it wasnt so obvious, it takes away from a great sport and the Comissioner needs to at
Its hard for a referee to judge what a flop is and what it isn't in a lot of cases. Video review after a game can confirm if a player was flopping. There are some times where it is unbelievably obvious. I have seen Rip Hamilton, on my hometown Pistons, do it at least 5-6 times. Fines might be better than techs. but something needs to be done.
Oh, one more thing. It might just be that basketball players are whiny, which is probably a significant factor. Football refs are pretty bad too, but football players just don't whine as much.
Stop calling superstar fouls, that's your best point. I could not agree more. You make a good argument on fairness, but I don't like it even from the superstar's point of view. Lebron James is a phenomenal basketball player, but even I will make a lot of shots if I knew I was going to be bailed out with foul shots every time. The guy's great, just let him be great. Superstar fouls actually make him look less good. --
Cut back on technical fouls: Agreed. I've seen so many technical fouls happen after a ref makes a terrible call. As if they didn't get screwed enough by the original call, now they get a technical. -- Less fouls in general: I can agree with that. -- I'm torn on the flop rule. I see where you're coming from, but the reason players flop is because the refs call it. So the first thing would be to teach refs not to call the flop. But I guess I can see how it would help. Intersting article! I enjoyed.