[d-wil]

Thanks all for the answers... bktballref - I downloaded all the info & am going to watch a game tonight with the NBA rulebook as a guide...

Last night Bavetta was talking to Oliver Miller (the captain's meeting conversation)... & yes the previous incident was with S. Francis...Bavetta appears to be one of the better communicators in The League.

Finally, yes I must admit that NBA officials are expected to be perfect the first time they step on an NBA court. However, in quite a few games this year I've heard announcers (usually ex-players) mention that there's been more turnover recently - young officials replacing retired officials.

They have explained that, like a rookie or young player in The League, it takes some time for a new official to get fully used to the players' skill level, pace of the game, etc. Then they must work around, and with, all the different personalities, from the chronically-complaining of a Vlade Divac, to the tempermental Rasheed Wallace, to the "Zen" outbursts of Phil Jackson...

The learning curve is steep, but hey, somebody's gotta keep the peace!!!

Thanks again for the replies...