Outside of the players, who compete on the court to win games, the referees also have the difficult task of officiating. They have often been at the center of a lot of discussions if they were able to do their jobs correctly, and have also received criticism from opposing teams' fans, who felt that they failed to do so.
The game on Sunday between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors turned out to be a hotly-contested one, wherein DeMar DeRozan, Serge Ibaka, and head coach Dwane Casey were all ejected. It resulted in the Eastern Conference's top team losing at home, which placed the spotlight on the referees.
Understanding the situation they were in, all three of them were spotted having heaving security around them while leaving the floor of Air Canada Centre, to prevent any commotion from happening involving fans or any Raptors personnel.
Referees got a full security escort off the floor in Toronto pic.twitter.com/vCtuPEoQsB
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) March 18, 2018
The game may have been marred by the calls that changed the complexity of the match, but it was definitely more than just that. The arena's vibe was just like a real playoff game, which gave both teams a glimpse of what they'll see once they compete in the postseason. It also tested their mettle by going up against title contenders from the other conference, helping the Thunder and Raptors prepare better for the playoffs.
The Thunder ultimately won the matchup, 132-125. Russell Westbrook once again starred for the visiting team, by recording another triple-double with 37 points, 13 rebounds, and 14 assists, while Paul George supplied 25 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals of his own. The Raptors, on the other hand, were led by DeRozan's 24 points, three rebounds, and five assists.
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