We’ve seen some huge blow-ups over NBA reffing this season and things are surely reaching boiling point.
From the players’ perspective, the situation has become so egregious that they have called for referees to be fined For their poor calls.
Yesterday’s game saw the Timberwolves lose 104 to 102 to the Celtics. Rudy Gobert criticized the referees for not being respectful afterward.
“Sometimes, we have that feeling that the things that get players and people in general furious, is we feel like we’re not being treated with integrity. And that’s when it becomes hard to keep your cool,” Gobert told The Athletic
“I get hit in the face every night and I never get a flagrant. It’s crazy. Tonight was all about many things happening simultaneously. I need to watch the game and see if I’m crazy or not.”
Minnesota forward Kyle Anderson posted on his Instagram story after he was ejected in the closing seconds: “Never been one to harp on officiating but got damn.”
Draymond Green got his 16th tech foul yesterday in the Warriors loss to the Clippers and although he is a serial tech-artist, he thinks his count shouldn’t be that high.
“I expect something to change,” Green said. “I got one tech this year because a ref yelled at me and I said, ‘If I yell at you, I’m gonna get a fine.’ I got a tech for it. It seems that something is going to change. If that’s a tech, then every word you say on the court is a tech. We’ll see.”
On Saturday, Julius Randle almost lost his mind after he was tech’d for elbowing Clippers center Mason Plumlee. He had to be restrained and controlled by his coach.
“I mean, I wasn’t good today. I was awful. But what about today’s officials? Pssh. I’ll just leave it at that,” Randle said after the game. “All you gotta do is watch the game and see what you see going on.”
Fred Van Vleet ripped the refs to pieces last week, in a well-written rant following the Raptors’ 108-100 loss against the Los Angeles Clippers.
VanVleet said a technical foul called against him by Ben Taylor “changed the whole flow of the game” and he was fined $30k for his comments.
“Most of my techs this year have been with Ben Taylor officiating. So at a certain point as a player you feel it’s personal and it’s never a good place to be,” VanVleet said.
“I’ll take my fine for speaking on it but it’s just this is fu*king ridiculous.”
Van Vleet isn’t the kind of guy to speak out of turn, so when he is saying something, things must be bad.
“I wouldn’t have done that if I felt like I had another option or another outlet,” VanVleet explained The next day was better. “I felt like I’ve exhausted my options this season on many different occasions.”
In January of this season, Pat Beverley even took a photographer’s camera onto the court to show the refs they had made the wrong call during a Lakers game, which they could have won with a drive from LeBron James but a no foul was called In the last seconds of life.
Eric Lewis, the chief referee crew member, even admitted that it was an error after the game.
PAT BEV BROUGHT A WHOLE ASS CAMERA TO SHOW THESE INCOMPETENT NBA REFS THEY MISSED THE FOUL CALL FOR LEBRON 😭😭😭 THEY GAVE HIS ASS A TECH LMAOOOO FIX YOUR LEAGUE @NBA
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) January 29, 2023
Things seem to be reaching an almost unprecedented level but only last month, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that officials are “absolutely held accountable” despite the public not knowing their punishments.
“We don’t publicize discipline for officials. We don’t think that will be appropriate. But their assignments are affected by the quality of their calls, whether or not they progress into the playoffs and then round by round is impacted by the accuracy of their calls and their demeanor on the floor.”
Things are set to get even more difficult between NBA players and officials with play-offs right around the corner.
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