NBA Officiating

I don’t know how long this has really been an issue, but over the course of the last few seasons, I’m becoming really frustrated with NBA officiating. To sum it up, let the players play. This is not a gripe for the Lakers (as most people know, I’m a Lakers fan). It’s a gripe for every NBA player, coach, and most importantly, fan.

The thing that excites fans to watch the NBA is spectacular dunks, tough shots, and great defense. The thing that fans dislike is when the game is slowed down for free throws, especially when it becomes frequent. Free throws are obviously given when a foul of some sort is committed (i.e. personal foul, technical foul, flagrant foul). The most common, of course, is a personal foul.

A personal foul is defined as a “breach of the rules that concerns illegal personal contact with an opponent.” Common examples are pushing, holding, illegal use of the hands, hand checking, illegal use of the elbow, charging, and blocking.

Teams who want to win are going to play physical games, particularly in playoff basketball when winning is everything. So in theory there could be an abundance of fouls called during the games. However, each player is only allowed six fouls before fouling out.

Now that all of that has been established, it should be noted that the NBA was created to be entertainment. Without fans, the game would be nothing. Fans help pay the salaries of the players, coaches, officials, etc. If fans aren’t enjoying the show, they may choose not be fans anymore.

I am intrigued to continue watching basketball because I am a Lakers fan. However, I am certainly not enjoying watching as much as I used to. I am seeing a plethora of fouls called in every series right now. Orlando shot fifty free throws the other night and Denver had forty-nine last night. My patience is getting tested as I wait to enjoy watching real basketball while the players are shooting free throws.

Now Orlando and Denver played much better games than Cleveland and Los Angeles, respectively, and deserved to win each of their last games. Orlando and Denver rebounded and attacked the basket instead of chucking up jump shot after jump shot.

There were too many fouls called, however. First, the officials somehow need to get better at seeing what is a foul and what is not. Dwight Howard got called for a foul when he blocked LeBron James’ three pointer in the waning minutes of the Magic-Cavs game. On the flipside, Kobe Bryant gets tripped intentionally by Dahntay Jones while charging to crash the boards and no foul is called.

There are three sets of eyes on the court. Is a fourth official needed so that things can clearly be seen? Or is this going to make even more fouls get called that should not be?

Secondly, the officials should restrain themselves from more of the “ticky-tack” fouls that have no influence on a play. Luke Walton got called for three fouls within about four minutes for bumps on Carmelo Anthony (some where it could be argued that Anthony may have even created the contact) that could be considered “ticky-tack” fouls. Unless the player loses the basketball or is seriously getting legitimately fouled, let these kind of “touch” fouls go.

Finally, the large amount of flagrant fouls and technical fouls handed out in the playoffs is getting ridiculous. Mind you, there have been some legitimate ones (i.e. Derek Fisher hitting Luis Scola purposely); there have been way too many good hard fouls that prevent an “and one” that are being called flagrant fouls. Ron Artest’s foul on I believe it was Trevor Ariza in game 3 or 4 in Houston was a foul to prevent a basket where Artest went for the ball. Andrew Bynum’s foul on the Birdman yesterday was another good hard foul where Bynum went for the ball. But then when Kobe gets pushed by Jones in the back on a layup attempt and there is no play on the ball, the flagrant doesn’t get called. I know the NBA reviews it, but that doesn’t help for the team taking the hit in the game and getting extra free throws or losing free throws they should have gotten.

As far as technicals go, they are getting out of control. Of course we as fans would expect more technicals because it’s the playoffs and emotions are intense. Kenyon Martin deserved one for being an idiot and locking up Pau Gasol’s hand in his arm and not letting it out. But did Linas Kleiza deserve a “T” when Gasol pulled Kleiza out of bounds in game 3 and he reacts to it? Or when Nene elbows Walton and he reacts to it? These are missed personal foul calls on Gasol and Nene that were missed and resulted in technicals to the other guys who aren’t going to take shit from someone for legitimately fouling them. Did J.R. Smith, who keep in mind I dislike and think is very immature, really deserve a “T” for elbowing Bynum prior to a Lakers offensive set? It should have just been a personal foul.

Bottom line is the officials somehow need to get better at calling the fouls that need to be called and letting the light ones go. Years ago “ticky-tack” fouls were rarely called and good hard fouls were called. Now “ticky-tack” fouls are called frequently and good hard fouls are being whistled as flagrant fouls. Officials get paid good salaries and need to watch more film like the players do or something to adjust their current ways.

They say instant replay on foul calls or out-of-bounds calls will slow down the game. So officials are only using it on last second shots to see if shots count or 3-pointers if the player’s foot is on the line. Maybe slowing the game down a bit to check instant replays will overall make the game faster if less free throws are being shot. More importantly, to repeat, officials need to watch game film afterwards and see how many bad calls they made. Maybe NBA coaches should have the luxury of a red flag like in the NFL to question discrepancies and be penalized a timeout if its wrong.

I’m sure some of my points can be argued. And I know I remember the bad calls against the Lakers more so than I do the other teams, but I see enough bad calls against the other teams as well that I know there is not one bias that can be argued by itself. The main problem is the referees not letting the players play and decide the game. Way too many free throws. Call the “real” fouls. These are huge, strong guys here in the NBA. They can muscle it out and take a few hits. Dick Bavetta and Steve Javie: keep the game in check, but keep in mind you are trying to please the fans here. We don’t want to see free throw after free throw, please.

Tagged as: Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic