Are NBA refs biased?

[Mark Padgett]

Newspaper article from The Oregonian. Nice photo of Phil Jackson being ignored by an official.

http://www.oregonlive.com/nba/index....ting_stud.html

[Texas Aggie]

Here's the meat of the study:

The researchers looked at six seasons of turnover statistics. They used ones where referees wield relatively little influence, such as a bad pass or steal, as a "control" group, and compared them with ones where referees wield greater influence, such as traveling and offensive fouls.

The researchers found that each type of favoritism -- home, trailing in a game and trailing in a series -- resulted in a 5 to 10 percent advantage in "discretionary" turnovers, or ones over which referees have the most influence.

I've never really thought to compare a team's propensity to travel or pick up a charge to their getting the ball stolen or throwing it out of bounds (if in the control group). I'm as huge a critic of the NBA's officiating system as anyone -- I think its a joke -- but I can't necessarily agree that a 5 to 10 percent difference in these so-called discretionary vs. non-discretionary items means much of anything.

They should have hired 3 or 4 retired college officials with no NBA experience as consultants.

[dbking]

Who cares, basketball season has been over since NCAA championship game.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by dbking

Who cares, basketball season has been over since NCAA championship game.

Wow! Does that mean my spring league games for tonight are cancelled? I gotta call my Assigner!

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

I've never really thought to compare a team's propensity to travel or pick up a charge to their getting the ball stolen or throwing it out of bounds (if in the control group). I'm as huge a critic of the NBA's officiating system as anyone -- I think its a joke -- but I can't necessarily agree that a 5 to 10 percent difference in these so-called discretionary vs. non-discretionary items means much of anything.

I'll bet I can show statisically that in the last 3-4 minutes of a close game, officials tend to call more fouls on the team that's behind. Gasp! That's an obvious bias towards the team that is ahead! Stop the presses!

(Well, as long as I don't take into account the fact the team that's behind usually wants to foul. Wouldn't want facts to get in the way of a good story, eh?)

While I'm not an expert on statistics, and I haven't played one on TV either, the one item that jumped out at me was the fact I didn't see any mention in the study about including the variable on how teams play differently when they are ahead vs. when they are behind. It would make sense there are some calls that happen more often under the scenario of playing from behind; playing harder to get the ball back vs. protecting the ball, etc.

[Lcubed48]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

I'll bet I can show statisically that in the last 3-4 minutes of a close game, officials tend to call more fouls on the team that's behind. Gasp! That's an obvious bias towards the team that is ahead! Stop the presses!

(Well, as long as I don't take into account the fact the team that's behind usually wants to foul. Wouldn't want facts to get in the way of a good story, eh?)

While I'm not an expert on statistics, and I haven't played one on TV either, the one item that jumped out at me was the fact I didn't see any mention in the study about including the variable on how teams play differently when they are ahead vs. when they are behind. It would make sense there are some calls that happen more often under the scenario of playing from behind; playing harder to get the ball back vs. protecting the ball, etc.

My take on the study is this - "figures don't lie, BUT liars figure." So,I'll agree completely with yu'all.

Originally Posted by Lcubed48

My take on the study is this - "figures don't lie, BUT liars figure." So,I'll agree completely with yu'all.

Wow...thanks for a good line the next time I need to fill out an academic dishonesty form on a student.