I think someone from the league's office gave the referees an earful about LeBron's travel late in that overtime period in Game Four. That bucket that pretty much won the game for Miami.
They are making much more of an effort at trying to spot those violations tonight. Clearly someone has complained and made it a point of emphasis for the refs coming into tonight's game.
----------------------------------------
On a related note, I hate this type of reactionary officiating ... referees changing the way they make calls because someone from the league's office or one of the team's complained about it.
It's their reactionary ways that makes coaches + players + teams in general whine about referees to the media.
What's the solution then? The regular NBA rulebook doesn't apply to LeBron. If it did, he would have been called for more charges, travels and personal fouls.
Stars get the preferential treatment....so what is one supposed to do then if not speak out?
I think some type of feedback from players / teams is a good thing but I don't want to see it on a daily basis.
Make it a quarterly thing throughout every season with the final one just prior to the playoffs.
I just hate seeing refereeing decisions that are so different night to night ... and different because someone complained and the league decided to heed their complaints and then proceed to give instructions to their referees on what to do in the next game. I hate that. With a passion.
If that isn't manipulating referees calls, I don't what is.