As tonight showed, NBA officiating is as bad and incompetent as ever, and NBA officials really seem to struggle with calling a consistent game. I realize that they have a difficult job with how fast-paced the game is, and we have the benefit of having a better view of the court from the comforts of our home. But even given this, they still struggle with calling a consistent game from play to play, quarter to quarter, and game to game.
So how do you fix NBA officiating?
To me, the biggest thing is the NBA's new emphasis to protect the offensive player and making much more defensive contact illegal and off-limits. If officials weren't trying to over-police the defense, they'd have an easier time with giving a consistent product over fewer calls. When you're having to call much more incidental contact, you're obviously going to have a harder time keeping it consistent over time. I'd love to see the NBA take a step back and not focus so heavily on penalizing defensive contact, though I don't think you'll see that change any time soon.
What are some other ideas to fix NBA officiating?