WTF is with the officiating recently?

[GSH]

The Spurs-Magic game was the worst officiating job I have seen in more than a year. That subject has been beaten to death already, but there have been a couple more games this week that have me scratching my head. Between the refs refusing to blow their whistles, and the league refusing to take action, they are setting the stage for another big brawl.

Tuesday night, the Mavs were playing the Nuggets in Denver. I thought some of the calls and no-calls were bad, but not a big deal. But near the end of the first half, J.R. Smith threw a very intentional elbow at Antoine Wright's head, and the refs did nothing. Mark Cuban started screaming at him at halftime, and then went onto the court after the game, screaming at the refs. (Cuban is an idiot and an asshole, but he was right to be pissed off.) After reviewing the tapes sent by Cuban, the league declined to levy any punishment on Smith, because the elbow "didn't connect", and therefore didn't meet the requirements for punishment.

I thought that decision was strange, since they suspended Bruce Bowen for supposedly "aiming a kick" at another player, even though it didn't connect. They said that Bowen's "reputation" was part of the reason for the suspension. But isn't J.R. Smith the fucking head case who got into the big brawl in New York? And then killed a friend of his in a car accident over the summer? And then got suspended by the team for being in a night club brawl in October? (After supposedly "learning his lesson" from the "tragic car accident".) Cuban didn't handle himself right, but the league still can't tolerate Smith throwing an elbow at another players head. And, for the record, Smith wound up going 1-for-14 for the night - the elbow was pure frustration.

Last night, the Suns played the Nuggets in Denver. Phoenix had a lead, but in the second half the refs started letting the Nuggets play more "aggressively". Grant Hill was out on a fast break and just got hammered from behind by Anthony Carter. With all of Hill's past ankle problems, the fall just turned my stomach. The refs did call a flagrant 1, but the foul was a product of how physical the game had become.

At the end of regulation, Hill drove the lane with a chance to win the game. He got past Dahntay Jones, so Jones threw out his leg and tripped Hill as he went past. At the same time, Nene jumped in front of Hill and had both feet inside the circle. Hill went down, and once again it looked like he could have been seriously injured. The refs refused to call the trip or the block, even though both were about as obvious as it gets. The Nuggets went on to win in OT. Strangely enough, Terry Porter was out on the court a couple of times, looking a lot like Mark Cuban going after the refs.

I'm no fan of the Mavs, or the Suns, or Mark Cuban. But the officiating in those two games was utter bullshit. (As was the officiating in our game against the Magic.) I can understand a close call going the wrong way. But it's not the close calls that start conspiracy theories. It's the ones that seem too obvious and out-in-the-open to possibly miss. It looks like the refs are just refusing to enforce the rules against certain players or teams. I think the league needs to have a closer look at its review process... again. I understand that there is another study being done about foul calls on an East vs. West, and Team vs. Team basis, that is going to fuel the ratings conspiracy theories... again... if it goes public. Stern should probably get out in front of it.

[Harry Callahan]

B Bowen got through out of a game four or five years ago (I know, I was there) when he swung his elbow at a Seattle SSonic player (Brent Barry ironically), so it can be done if the refs want to.

I missed the Orlando game, but your opponent hitting 67% of your threes has more to do with the loss than anything. Defending the perimeter is important.

The Lakers got a couple of calls in the second half when the Spurs were about to blow the game open - they protested some out of bounds calls and the refs father away from the play got the call. Kobe always is complaining because of his sense of entitlement (still a great player).

I just laughed at Kobe when his is gestering after that three pointer at the end and it is ripped away from him. He needs a big dose of humility.

[romad_20]

They've got to get in playoff form at some point.

[dbestpro]

The problem is consistency. The rule of thumb has been that they need to call the game the same for the whole game and the players need to adjust. The only consistency that has happened is that they have been very consistent at not being consistent. Sitting with people who do not watch much basketball there is a consensus that the games are being called to create drama rather then on the reality of what is happening on the court.

[nkdlunch]

it's the economy. Refs are not getting the same under-the-table money they used to. so they don't give a fuck anymore

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

So let me get this straight, you are saying that the refs are refusing to blow their whistles, yet Ariza was called for a travel that ended the Spurs-Lakers game. Did you want them to swallow their whistle in that case?

The case can also be made for Mason jumping back into Dfish to exaggerate the contact on the last foul, but it was called legit and the game was won by the Spurs, no biggie.

The refs make good calls and bad calls, all teams benefit from some calls and all teams get shafted at some point. It's just part of the league.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

it's the economy. Refs are not getting the same under-the-table money they used to. so they don't give a fuck anymore

Things will get so bad that the government will step in and the NBA will have socialized officiating. At which point they will be federal employees and whistle nothing but bail out calls.

[de Soto]

Quit complaining about the officials. It cheapens your team.

[Rummpd]

how about Duncan only getting to the line 4 times against Bynum who was hammering him all night? (many) Refs a joke these days.

[GSH]

So let me get this straight, you are saying that the refs are refusing to blow their whistles, yet Ariza was called for a travel that ended the Spurs-Lakers game. Did you want them to swallow their whistle in that case?

The case can also be made for Mason jumping back into Dfish to exaggerate the contact on the last foul, but it was called legit and the game was won by the Spurs, no biggie.

The refs make good calls and bad calls, all teams benefit from some calls and all teams get shafted at some point. It's just part of the league.

I'm saying that an intentional elbow thrown at the head of another player deserves some action. The refs may have "missed" it, but the league refused to make it right, and gave a bullshit excuse that doesn't fit with their past decisions.

I'm saying that sticking a leg out to trip a player running past you is a good way to injure someone permanently. Hell, that's even illegal in the NFL because of the danger it poses to players.

You're trying to turn things around, because you're a Nuggets fan. Neither of the games I talked about had anything to do with the Spurs getting shafted. Most Spurs fans are all too happy to see the Mavs and Suns lose a game. But not at the expense of the integrity of the game. And nobody here wants to see Grant Hill's career ended over a cheap shot. And for the record, the Nuggets are too insignificant for us to give a shit about.

Last season, Kevin Garnett put his hands on a ref when he was pissed off about a call. Nothing from the league - even though contact with a ref is supposed to be an automatic suspension. Tim Duncan (gently) moved a ref during a game, because the idiot stepped into the middle of a play. He wasn't angry, and nothing had happened earlier in the game. But Duncan was suspended because the league said that contact is prohibited, no matter what.

Sometimes the officiating can be so egregiously one-sided that the league needs to have a closer look. I've seen it reach that point several times recently. It's not about the Spurs. It's about the refs.

[Flux451]

So let me get this straight, you are saying that the refs are refusing to blow their whistles, yet Ariza was called for a travel that ended the Spurs-Lakers game. Did you want them to swallow their whistle in that case?

The case can also be made for Mason jumping back into Dfish to exaggerate the contact on the last foul, but it was called legit and the game was won by the Spurs, no biggie.

The refs make good calls and bad calls, all teams benefit from some calls and all teams get shafted at some point. It's just part of the league.

I would of liked the Ariza call, to be a no call.

Mason didn't jump into Fish. He was stepping back to the three point line, wanting the tre.

I agree with the refs. Sometimes other games are better. Only a couple games a year usually stand out as horrible. Orlando being one. 3 pointers did win it for them though.

[GSH]

I would of liked the Ariza call, to be a no call.

Only a couple games a year usually stand out as horrible. Orlando being one. 3 pointers did win it for them though.



No arguments with that. The Magic were in the zone shooting 3-pointers. If there is ever such a thing as a good loss, that was one for the Spurs. On any given night, a team that is in that kind of zone is almost unbeatable.

Most of the time the refs are extremely good and the calls balance out. They even called travelling agains LeBron at the end of that Washington game - that was a tough call to make against a superstar, but it was the right call.

All I said was that there have been some exceptionally bad games recently, and the league seriously screwed up by ignoring that flying elbow. If their review process didn't catch that, they need to review their review process. If Grant Hill wasn't such a nice guy, they could have had another big brawl on their hands - he'd already been flagrantly fouled once in the game.

[Chomag]

errr recently?

For some reason I have allways remembered spurs rarly getting the calls especialy in the playoffs.

Come on people! we should be used to this by now lol
It should be in the spurs system to play 5 on 6

But overe all yes, I have noticed the officiating not up to par across the board for every team this season.

[z0sa]

S
The case can also be made for Mason jumping back into Dfish to exaggerate the contact on the last foul, but it was called legit and the game was won by the Spurs, no biggie.

That case actually cannot be made.

[GSH]

And if you're watching the Charlotte game, this subject deserves to be resurrected. I'm not even questioning whether the calls are one-sided. They are just fucking worthless. The refs have let this game get out of hand.

The real bitch is that they allow so much shit to go on, and then call a foul on something that doesn't even compare in terms of the amount of contact. It's impossible to know what is going to be a foul and what isn't.

I think they want to encourage a more "exciting" style of play, but they don't know how to do it without screwing up the game. I read an article that the Chinese league decided that they needed to allow more contact, to prepare their players for the NBA and international competition. The result has been a series of brawls that are getting out of control.

[Reck]

Get with it. Spurs blow. Good teams defy all odds.

Spurs are losing these games on their own.

[GSH]

Get with it. Spurs blow. Good teams defy all odds.

Spurs are losing these games on their own.


That's funny. Sean just commented that this game "has been out of control since the 1st quarter". I guess he doesn't know anything about basketball either.

[Reck]

That's funny. Sean just commented that this game "has been out of control since the 1st quarter". I guess he doesn't know anything about basketball either.

You mean Spurs #1 homer?

Calls go both ways. Not just on this game but the Lakers one come to mind.

[ClingingMars]

yeah the officiating sucked balls

-Mars

[SpursPreacher]

That spurs-bobcats was phyical as anything and then the refs only call little small stuff and let the big stuff go on both teams. The refs have been inconsistant all year long for everybody and its just plain bad.

[GSH]

You mean Spurs #1 homer?

Calls go both ways. Not just on this game but the Lakers one come to mind.


I don't know why it's so hard for some people to understand. I'm not talking about one-sided calls. I'm not talking about refs missing close calls. I'm talking about piss-poor officiating - in both directions. It doesn't matter that the ridiculously bad calls even out. It makes the game tough to watch, and it has to make it tough to play.

I can't tell you how many times this season I have seen all 3 refs out of the play, and looking at each other to see if anyone knows what the fuck happened. I've seen them refuse to call goaltending - not only when the ball was obviously on the way down, but when it came off the glass. You can't miss that call if you're an NBA ref.

All of the trolls can save some typing and forget all the talk about "whining". If the Spurs lose, they lose. Some of the worst calls I've seen have gone against the Mavs and Suns. A bad call is a bad call - no matter who it goes against.

[spurster]

Midseason slump.

[Rogue]

WTF have nuggets done to stern? abducting his wife or other stalkers?

[The Franchise]

how about Duncan only getting to the line 4 times against Bynum who was hammering him all night? (many) Refs a joke these days.

NFL refs do a better job from 30 yards away than NBA refs do from four feet.

[Yorae]

Didn't watch any game, wtf raja bell with 11 fts?

[Yorae]

NFL refs do a better job from 30 yards away than NBA refs do from four feet.

LOL, would should cross-train them.

[GSH]

Didn't watch any game, wtf raja bell with 11 fts?


Bell played hard and aggressive. And he made a bunch of shots when the Bobcats really needed them. He earned a bunch of FT's, and there's no reason he couldn't earn 11 in a game. I don't want to take anything away from the fact that he played well. If they re-play the game, you should watch it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

There were bodies flying, and a lot of really hard contact that didn't draw a whistle. At the same time, there was a lot of inconsequential crap that did draw whistles.

Did bad calls go both ways? Sure. But I have wondered if there has been a decision within the league to encourage a certain type of play. I'm talking about a philosophical change - not a conspiracy. Highlight reel plays sell tickets and boost ratings.