Officiating has been a hot topic this postseason thanks to a number of missed calls at critical moments. All of the camera angles we have now allow us to see things impossible for referees to process real-time, but some of these mistakes were pointed out by fans immediately around the world.
The league tries to own up to them with their last two minute reports, but mostly it leads to frustration. Five missed no-calls in the final moments of Game 2 between the Thunder and Spurs? A critical no-call at the end of Game 4 between the Raptors and Cavaliers? It doesn't make any difference after the fact.
Basketball is one of the hardest sports to officiate, but many people expect better at the professional level.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver is still confident in their efforts, citing last two minute reports when he states that more often than not, the referees get the correct call.
“Roughly 90 percent — they get it right,” Silver said. “Now, of course, I'd like 90 percent to be 100 percent. And so would they. But what these reports also show, what fans already know is, human error is part of this game, and the best athletes in the world make mistakes. And coaches occasionally make mistakes. Officials do, too.”
It's hard to compare basketball to other sports to try and see if 90 percent is actually a good figure, but it doesn't make any difference to the players and fans who find themselves within the other 10 percent that are missed when it matters most.
There isn't a perfect solution to this problem. Make no mistake, the NBA is doing everything they can to get it right. Silver understands that it's not good for the game when officiating is taking up so much of the spotlight.
“My goal is for it not to be a storyline. There's no question about that,” Silver said. “And even if you ask our officials, their goal is to not be noticed.”
With the last two minute reports, the league is trying to establish transparency. For many of us though, it's just a reminder that officiating, like anything human, is not perfect.
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