Minnesota Sports Forum

We know they have in the past and it was likely many more than Donaghy.

I think so to be honest. It's not hard to shave the points when calls can go either way so many times.

Whether it's yes or no, it doesn't matter in the sense that the perspective is that games are rigged. There is no other league in which calls and rules change so drastically from one season to the next, half a season, and game to game. There are random periods where refs are especially harsh on certain things, then after a few weeks? Nothing. As if the strict enforcements never happened. I've never heard so much complaints about refs as there is in the NBA. Yes, the NFL does have it, as does the other leagues, but nowhere near the scale that the NBA does. Players/Coaches/Fans all expressing the same frustrations shows the NBA has a refereeing problem

I don't think there's an integrity problem with NBA officiating. I also don't think there's a quality issue as I think the NBA is tied with the MLB in terms of best officiating in a professional sports league. I do think there's an accountability issue, though. I genuinely think most officials are doing the best that they can and 98% of the time they do a fantastic job -- much better than fans sitting at home could realistically do. The game is insanely fast-paced and a lot of things are happening at the same time so it's quite difficult for referees to be able to make those judgement calls in an instant. And like I said, most of the time they are right -- whether we like to admit it or not.

I do think that when referees make terrible calls they should be held accountable for it in some way. I don't know exactly how this should be maintained, but the NBA could rid all accusations by judging every call made and tracking each referee who made those calls.

I'm just a casual fan so I wouldn't be the best judge. If however the refs are good as you suggest, then the Wolves are terrible and we know that just can't be a fact!

Meant to quote Cam on this post.

I think it's a lot better than it was in the 80's when the league was gaining popularity. I mean that was both the best and worst of the NBA. You had the league being carried by Bird, Erving, Magic, Kareem and then eventually MJ. That was the good part. The bad part is those players and teams were the benefit of ridiuclous influence from outside sources. And by outside sources I don't really mean the refs although they definitely had a role, I think David Stern and the league were the biggest culprits. I believe the league made sure the the biggest stars in the biggest markets got the benefit of the doubt at the end of games. I have no way of proving that except to say I watched the games and the pattern was clear to me, I'm convinced multiple playoff series were altered to favor big market teams. But no one complained because the most hyped stars got the most air time and the games were exciting and many times great. The thing I think you have to realize is how little it would take to force a game result. All Stern would have to say to the supervisor of officials is, "you had better beware if bad calls ever cost Bird's Celtics or Magic's Lakers a game or series". I mean that is all that needed to be said. That way the commish could never be accused of game fixing. But like I said, he had ridiculous influence.

As long as this topic came up, here's something I'm wondering about. Why is it that the slightest shuffle of the feet can draw a traveling call, but taking two steps to get in position for a 3 pointer is allowed just about 100% of the time. Anybody else see this the same way?

CoolBreeze44 wrote:As long as this topic came up, here's something I'm wondering about. Why is it that the slightest shuffle of the feet can draw a traveling call, but taking two steps to get in position for a 3 pointer is allowed just about 100% of the time. Anybody else see this the same way?

Ask G because he averages a travel per 36.

Camden0916 wrote:I don't think there's an integrity problem with NBA officiating. I also don't think there's a quality issue as I think the NBA is tied with the MLB in terms of best officiating in a professional sports league. I do think there's an accountability issue, though. I genuinely think most officials are doing the best that they can and 98% of the time they do a fantastic job -- much better than fans sitting at home could realistically do. The game is insanely fast-paced and a lot of things are happening at the same time so it's quite difficult for referees to be able to make those judgement calls in an instant. And like I said, most of the time they are right -- whether we like to admit it or not.

I do think that when referees make terrible calls they should be held accountable for it in some way. I don't know exactly how this should be maintained, but the NBA could rid all accusations by judging every call made and tracking each referee who made those calls.

I've gotten frustrated with the officiating this season watching Wolves games but I agree with this take. I also think it's very possible that from time to time there could be instances where someone benefits financially from altering the outcome of the game. There is a lot of money out there it's likely naive to think otherwise but in general like you said I don't worry about the integrity of the game overall.

I also think having the G-league is a good way to develop new officials. Having another pipeline in addition to the WNBA is a good thing.

It's downright amazing how the NBA escaped relatively unscathed from the Tim Donaghy debacle. David Stern had enough clout, power and sheer will to force the narrative that it was one rogue official... and people mostly bought it.

Amazing.

Remember, this happened before the latest talent boom. Think about the top story lines from that era... 10, 15 or 20 years later... and many of them involve questionable officiating.

Conspiracy theories were running rampant BEFORE one of the officials got busted. And yet... those conspiracies actually lost steam. David Stern is regaled as doing many great things for the league, but the way he browbeat that issue into submission was absolutely magnificent.

I like the idea of reevaluating every call from every official from every game, then rating them and thus weeding out the poorer officials or ones who may be trying to influence the game for financial benefit. The NBA definitely has the man power and tools to do so and it would be wise especially now that gambling is becoming much more widespread.

They don't have to release the stats of the officials, but they can fire bad ones while promoting the best into the playoffs, etc.