NBA Travel

[TriggerMN]

They play so fine, don't you agree?

[jmkbball]

My company has season tickets courtside for the SA Spurs. I saw my first game of the season last night for the tix are normally used by clients.

In sitting down before game, a friend walked up who works for one of the teams. He's been around the game and the NBA for a while.

He recalled a time when the league was near death and explained how the league took control of the rules with the goal of generating fan interest. Less traveling, 3 second and offensive foul calls generally mean higher scoring games and that is alledgedly important to the game -- listen to any talking airhead on sports radio / tv.


While last night's game was exciting, i found myself watching the officiating crew work and talking with the team official about calls.

Last night's crew had excellent mechanics and Dick Bavetta succeeded in keeping the game exciting for the league.

Yet, he once shouted down a coach saying "that's not my primary", only to make a call a few minutes later which resulted in every single person/player/coach on the floor asking each other why he'd go out of his area to make (what turned out to be) a mistaken call across the floor.

My friend explained that every team worries about the inconsistency of officiating in the league due to 'thinking too much' (although he agreed that the mechanics are good).
However, the argument used by the league is that everyone's livelihood is at stake as long as fans find the game exciting.
He laughed and said the league will eventually do away with fouls for certain players and just give 2-minute minors.

[Junker]

Originally Posted by TriggerMN

They play so fine, don't you agree?

I believe that children are our future.....

[jkjenning]

jmkbball - are you TASO? send me a PM! Congrats on raising a family [your only other post] - our youngest will be a senior in HS next year!!

[26 Year Gap]

What? The NBA playoffs have started?

[SeanFitzRef]

Originally Posted by jkjenning

I agree: Wow!! Go SPURS!!!!
maybe you are a Sacramento fan/Spurs adversary and recall those no-calls more vividly?

Actually not. A Bulls fan, and big basketball fan in general. But the screen set by Duncan was the woorrrrsssst screen everrrrrr. (Turning off Bill Walton mode now) It worried me more because I know I will see that exact same screen this summer, I will make the call, and some coach will scream, " Duncan set the same screen, and they didn't call it on him!!!"

Also, I'm a big fan of watching the NBA refs work, because they deal with the same plays we do, but the speed of those plays makes it that much harder to work. they do an excellent job of positioning in most instances, and they are second-guessed mercilessly (including yours truly LOL). But most of them manage to keep their composure, and continue to work as well as they can uner the circumstances.

[New2AZref]

The way it was explained to me was that traveling is called the exact same way that fouls are called, by advantage/disadvantage.

From what I have observed, the officials at the NBA and developmental levels work easily as hard as any official at any other level. Many would argue that they work MUCH harder than officials at any other level. They spend hours upon hours watching and reviewing game film, which is a topic I have yet to see posted here in the forum. ( not saying its not here... I just havent seen anything on it, and it is the best way for us as officials to improve what we are doing )

I guess I am simply dissapointed at the way it seems that many of us are negative towards the NBA and its officials. The way you officiate a high school championship game is not going to be the same way you officiate a 40 and over mens league. The higher caliber the players, the better and cleaner the play. We discard what coaches, fans, and the like say about us as junior high, high school, and college officials because they are not in the same position we are, and seldom know the rules and how to apply them because they do not do so on a regular basis.

I would simply argue the same is true for our NBA collegues ( sp?). I am simply of the opinion that I should give them the respect that they deserve for acheiving positions where the highest level of players play, and for their dedication to the perfection of officiating the game of basketball.

Nice job, gentleman. Keep up the good work.

Mr. Stay Positive

[AZ_REF]

Originally Posted by New2AZref

From what I have observed, the officials at the NBA and developmental levels work easily as hard as any official at any other level. Many would argue that they work MUCH harder than officials at any other level. They spend hours upon hours watching and reviewing game film, which is a topic I have yet to see posted here in the forum. ( not saying its not here... I just havent seen anything on it, and it is the best way for us as officials to improve what we are doing )

This past summer I was fortunate enough to work a few games with current NBA officials and it was quite an experience. They work much harder than anyone I've ever seen. And they do it with such grace and beauty that it brings a tear to my eye. Seriously though, they work their butts off.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by New2AZref

I guess I am simply dissapointed at the way it seems that many of us are negative towards the NBA and its officials.

Mr. Stay Positive

At least in my case, I have seen very few negative comments about NBA refs here. I think most of us pretty much agree they are probably the cream of the crop; they do work harder than the rest of us because it is their full-time job.

The biggest argument seems to be about the NBA itself, and whether it's turned into more "entertainment", and less "sport". Just your comment alone about calling a travel on the basis of advantage/disadvantage ruffles the feathers of some basketball fans - if it's a travel, it's a travel. Who cares if the fans groan that Shaq's monster dunk doesn't count after he takes a couple of shuffle steps towards the hoop? Apparently, the NBA does; as long as he had to get by a couple of defenders bumping him in the lane, it all evens out. The monster dunk gets the ESPN replay, not the foul call on the bump or the travel call.

The NBA refs are the best at what they do, given the parameters they have to work with. What a lot of people here argue about are the parameters.

Mr. Positive Towards All Officials

[Junker]

Well said M&M. The NBA is purely entertainment to me. It's fun to see the athletic plays they make, but it's really not the sport of basketball to me. This has nothing to do with the officials, like all of us, they call the game like their assignors want them to. One of my favorite examples of the good old NBA advantage/disadvantage was a cut to commercial when Hakeem was playing. The announcer says that you, "Just can't stop the dream shake." and the clip shows Hakeem pivot on his right foot, then pivot on his left foot, and amazingly he was able to get away from his defender for an easy lay in. The NBA is FAAAAANNNNTASTIC!

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Junker

This has nothing to do with the officials, like all of us, they call the game like their assignors want them to.

I agree, my complaint is with Ronnie Nunn and David Stern.

Shaq complains about the all the contact he has to endure but if the NBA would enforce its traveling rules and displacement rules against him then defenders wouldn't feel the need to pound on him to play defense.

[Raymond]

Tonight is a perfect example of entertainment over rules. I love Lebron James, I think he'll have 2-3 rings before he retires but come on, could he have made that great play to win the game without the benefit of 4-steps???

It was an obvious, no doubt about it travel. Obviously the NBA edict is not to call traveling in those situations.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Tonight is a perfect example of entertainment over rules. I love Lebron James, I think he'll have 2-3 rings before he retires but come on, could he have made that great play to win the game without the benefit of 4-steps???

It was an obvious, no doubt about it travel. Obviously the NBA edict is not to call traveling in those situations.

Geeze, I just went to ESPN to take a look at it; I thought it couldn't really be that bad. I was wrong. He did a jump stop- and then he just kept a-walking until he got open.

Unbelievable......

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Geeze, I just went to ESPN to take a look at it; I thought it couldn't really be that bad. I was wrong.

I only saw it once on SportsCenter, but it didn't strike me as all that bad. He pivoted after the jump stop, but that's legal in the NBA. I'll take your word for it, tho.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

I only saw it once on SportsCenter, but it didn't strike me as all that bad. He pivoted after the jump stop, but that's legal in the NBA. I'll take your word for it, tho.

Chuck,

You may want to take another look at the replay. He jumped stopped (debatable, just looked like 2 steps to me), then after pump faking the defender out of position, he took 2 full steps towards the basket, then jumped off 2 feet.