What would you change about NBA officiating?

[fairweatherfan]

Over the last couple days, since the Utah fiasco, we've had a couple of threads dealing with the poor state of today's NBA officiating.  Sooner or later, the conversation turns to what ought to be changed.  I thought it might be worthwhile to make a catchall thread on what CB members think the NBA and its officials should do differently.  This can regard rule changes, personnel changes (firing/hiring refs), etc.

I'll start by saying that I think the NBA is the most difficult sport to officiate, but I think a large part of this is because of the biggest problem in NBA officiating: referees have collectively decided to base calls more on context and consequence than on what actually happened. 

That is, refs make calls in a very situational manner - after one team gets a bunch of calls, you can be sure things will swing the other way (whether the original calls were justified or not).  If a shot goes in, a clear foul is often ignored, but if it misses, late whistle.  Stars are subject to a different system of officiating than lesser or newer players.  It goes on and on - the Powe on Shaq dunk attempt at the end of yesterday's game, and the ref's response (no whistle on a clear foul until he saw the dunk miss), is a great example of all of these. 

Since the most important thing in refereeing is consistency, all of these unspoken "rules" about what does and doesn't constitute a violation leads to continual inconsistency in what's being called from game to game, from team to team, from player to player, even from play to play, leading to  frustration among the fan base (ie us). 

I think the best, most sweeping change the league can make is to order referees to begin making calls consistently regardless of situation or the result of the play, and then hold them accountable to it.  If Gabe Pruitt is whistled for a violation that Deron Williams gets away with, the referee should hear about it from the league.  Repeated infractions should lead to suspension or dismissal.  There can be some exceptions, of course - the most obvious being that more contact is allowed at the end of a game or in the playoffs, but consistency is the biggest problem in officiating today.

Sadly, I don't see any of this changing anytime soon, though - the ref's union seems to have the league office by the short curlies.

[Andy Jick]

the officials...especially old, bald ones named dick.

[kenmaine]

My biggest complaint is the stupid "rookie treatment" the refs give to young players. A foul should be called a foul, regardless if it's LeBron or Joe Shmoe. The players shouldn't have to earn the respect of the refs, the refs should respect the game and call it correctly.
 

[Celtics1990]

Agreed. During the Utah game our old friend Dickie Bavetta called a horrible foul on Gabe. Donnie Marshall said that the reason why Bavetta called the foul was because he didn't know Gabe well enough yet.  In my opinion, it shouldn't matter whether the referees like the guy enough to have a beer or two with him. Just call the fouls when you see them.

[furball]

I think the biggest thing it the whole  It's a different call according to who the player is. A foul is a foul and they should all becalled the same. 

It also irks me when a ref standing 5 feet from a play doesn't call anything bu a ref  on the other side of the court will make a call.  and that's looking through three guys.

Also, I don't see how they can claim to have the greatest athletes in the world but then have 60 and 70 year old men running up and down the court with them.  Really, these guys can keep up with these "great" athetes? 

On that.  I think the league should add  a fourth Ref.  I think there should be a ref on each baseline that does not run the floor.  That way on fast breaks and other plays that switch sides quickly there is already a ref in position to make the call instead of a guy (of any age) trying to make the call out of position while running down court.  The baseline refs would only be able to make calls on his side of half court.  That way you'd still have the same 3 ref system.   

[Mr October]

My biggest complaint is the stupid "rookie treatment" the refs give to young players. A foul should be called a foul, regardless if it's LeBron or Joe Shmoe. The players shouldn't have to earn the respect of the refs, the refs should respect the game and call it correctly.
 

yeah agreed. also i wouldn't mind giving coaches the ability to challenge a call like in the NFL (maybe 2 per game)

[BrickJames]

Robots, son.  Robots.

[cornbreadsmart]

they should decide whether they will honor the larry bird lean in after a shot fake, the reggie miller leg kick,actually fine for flopping like they said they would. they should stay consistent with the hands all over guys on the perimeter. that's a whole lot easier to call then when guys are'nt  driving thru  traffic. oh and if it happens,suspend any player for even faking like they will put a foot under someone's ankle. they should get suspended like if they DID injure the guy. that means you, bruce bowen!

[cornbreadsmart]

maybe give each ref a different  bright colored shirt too. that way it will be easier to follow who's doing really terrible. they ARE part of the show after all.

[cornbreadsmart]

oooh robots. brilliant! however, i heard that they eat old people's medicatiion for feul.

[cornbreadsmart]

i'm a graet spellllerr .

[CoachBo]

Eliminate Skeletor, Dick Bavetta, Bennett Salvatore and Violet Palmer.

[GroverTheClover]

Eliminate Skeletor, Dick Bavetta, Bennett Salvatore and Violet Palmer.

and Eddie F. Rush, and Kenny Mauer, and Joey Crawford, and the list goes on..

[Brickowski]

Everything.

[Schupac]

Everything.

Beat me to the punch...

My opinions have mostly already been said.  A rule is a rule regardless if it's some second round draft pick rookie or Kobe Bryant.  Star treatment is ruining the game.  Also, the league needs to penalize flopping.  American sports fans hate that kind of thing.  That's a "veteran, wily move".  Yeah, that's what I say when I lie to people too.

I would also like to see the penultimate cop-out, the double technical used far more sparingly.  It seems refs give out double Ts when they don't have the sand to make a real call.

More video replay, when time is dead.  I understand it would kill the flow of the game so it would have to be used quite sparingly.

I would like to see the idea of drawing contact revamped (and I know, that would kill my beloved Paul Pierce).  But to me, it seems if the offensive player is initiating the contact, it isn't always the defender's fault.  Sometimes the defender is just blocking the offensive player, and you can't do that, but plenty of times players just go flying out of control into someone else and get to take some free throws for it (I'm looking at you, Mr. Wade).  I would like to see a rule change here, not a change in officiating I guess.  If an offensive player was not in control of the ball at the time of the contact, either no call or an offensive foul.

Continuation needs to be clamped down on.  No, two steps after the foul is not continuation.

You'll notice most of my changes revolve around treating all players fairly, and reducing the factor that fouls play in the game.  I really think it sucks the entertainment out of the game when 20-40 points per game are from uncontested free throws.