NBA officiating credibility

[KG Fan]

The NBA's officiating has been nothing short of horrendous on the biggest stage for the league.  This time, though, it is not just one team that has a legit gripe with the officiating.

I live in California.  Rest assured, I know many diehard Lakers fans (as well as just as many anti-Lakers fans such as Warriors fans and Kings fans), and nearly all of us believe the officiating is geared towards having a seven game series.

There have been many controversial calls.  It is getting a little ridiculous that the NBA's so-called "best referees" are blowing all of these calls.  You know there's an issue when all fans can unite on such an issue.

The question I pose to you is this: Under more and more scrutiny (which I am sure the NBA will endure after the horrible officiating in the first three games), will the NBA admit the officiating is bad and overhaul the whole system?

[Spicoli]

The officiating is truly a joke right now. Lakers getting all the 50/50 calls for 3 straight games. Key players from both teams getting in foul trouble for 3 straight games. Flops being rewarded. Obvious blown calls left and right. I honestly can't believe what i'm seeing.

[ibby]

I don't know how they could without adding a referee who sits on the sideline watching the game in real time on a LCD TV (I'm not joking).  Basketball moves so fast, and the plays are so subjective, that in the moment it is easy to make bad calls or miss calls all together.

It is easy to watch the game from home and see a replay 10-20x and get angry.  But it is a hard job.  I wish they could do something about it, I just don't know what they could do.

[Spicoli]

I don't know how they could without adding a referee who sits on the sideline watching the game in real time on a LCD TV (I'm not joking).  Basketball moves so fast, and the plays are so subjective, that in the moment it is easy to make bad calls or miss calls all together.

It is easy to watch the game from home and see a replay 10-20x and get angry.  But it is a hard job.  I wish they could do something about it, I just don't know what they could do.

I can understand that it is a difficult job, but how can you explain all the 50/50 calls going in L.As favor for 3 straight games? Usually the calls even out, but we haven't gotten a break for 3 games in a row now. Clean blocks on Gasol and Bynum being called fouls, while theirs are being called blocks. It's little stuff like that, which adds up to be extremely important in deciding the outcome of games.

[ejk3489]

Game 1
Lamar Odom PF 5
Paul Pierce PF 5
Ray Allen PF 5
Kobe Bryant PF 4

Game 2
Kevin Garnett PF 5
Kendrick Perkins PF 5
Ron Artes PF 6
Andrew Bynum PF 5
Kobe Bryant PF 5
Lamar Odom PF 5

Game 3
Derek Fisher PF 5
Paul Pierce PF 5
Kevin Garnett PF 5
Rajon Rondo PF 4

Total for the series: 159

These refs have been terrible for both teams all three games...way too many personal foul calls, a lot of them which were ticky tack/touch. Can we just have one ok officiated game this series?

[Bynum4MVP]

Game 1
Lamar Odom PF 5
Paul Pierce PF 5
Ray Allen PF 5
Kobe Bryant PF 4

Game 2
Kevin Garnett PF 5
Kendrick Perkins PF 5
Ron Artes PF 6
Andrew Bynum PF 5
Kobe Bryant PF 5
Lamar Odom PF 5

Game 3
Derek Fisher PF 5
Paul Pierce PF 5
Kevin Garnett PF 5
Rajon Rondo PF 4

Total for the series: 159

These refs have been terrible for both teams all three games...way too many personal foul calls, a lot of them which were ticky tack/touch. Can we just have one ok officiated game this series?

Agreed.  Refs have taken players out from both teams on any given day.  Ray in Game 1, Kobe in Game 2, Pierce in Game 3.  Lamar Odom had another 4 fouls today, he's been pretty much MIA the whole series due to fouls.

[PosImpos]

These refs have been terrible for both teams all three games

Bingggggggg-GO.

[LB3533]

Gasol will probably be in foul trouble in Game 4.

Bynum in Game 5.

It's probably just a trend thing...LOL!!

[celts34pats55]

Tommy Point to the op

The foul call on Sheed towards the end of the game, when he raised his arms in the air, think it was odom that drew it, was seriously the worst call I've ever seen in a basketball game (five year olds included)

[Bahku]

What credibility?

[KG Fan]

What credibility? Reminds me of "Military Intelligence" ... "Officiating Credibility" ... just impossible to put the two words together and have them make sense.

But seriously ... tonight's performance was so blatantly biased in favor of the Lakers, that the NBA and Stern should be ashamed ... period.

Haha, I'm liking the connection you made there.

I'm not too sure this game was blatantly in favor of one team or another..I honestly just felt like both teams got screwed.

[celts34pats55]

What credibility? Reminds me of "Military Intelligence" ... "Officiating Credibility" ... just impossible to put the two words together and have them make sense.

But seriously ... tonight's performance was so blatantly biased in favor of the Lakers, that the NBA and Stern should be ashamed ... period.

I'm not gonna lie, I was chanting "Don-a-ghy" at the game tonight. Take my word for it when I tell you I'm not Tommy, and yet still say that we were playing 5 on 8 tonight. HORRIBLE!

[twinbree]

I'd be shocked if they do anything. If nothing came out of the Donaghy mess I doubt there's enough scrutiny in the world to make them interested in credibility.

I don't know why they are calling the games so tight. It's the playoffs and they've been letting physical play go all along (unless maybe it was just in the Eastern conference and I didn't realize it). They are shooting themselves in the foot. A lot of the casual fans I know  have lost interest in the series already. Don't want to wait for a 9pm start on a weeknight and sit through endless whistles, head-scratching calls and a choppy game with no flow.

[LB3533]

No matter how it goes the rest of the way and what the final outcome turns out to be....this has been a very un-entertaining NBA Finals.

Even if it goes 7 games it will be more games of this unwatchable reffing side show.

The basketball is almost on the back seat.

[FallGuy]

No matter how it goes the rest of the way and what the final outcome turns out to be....this has been a very un-entertaining NBA Finals.

Even if it goes 7 games it will be more games of this unwatchable reffing side show.

The basketball is almost on the back seat.

Very good point. The entire NBA playoffs has been a disappointment. One of the worst years I can remember.