Officiating in Kings/Raps Game Feb. 5

[Yogi]

Wow. There were some real doozies last night. The refs were calling hot breath as fouls on one end and allowing lots if contact with no calls on the other end. It was just that bad. Final score was 109 - 101. Of Sac's 109 points, 41 of those came from the charity stripe.

There's lots of talk about what happened in Saceamento this season and last (almost losing their team to Seattle then the blockbuster trade with us) and the league wanting to keep the fans and organization happy. Them wanting to give them all a big pat on the back saying "don't worry, it's okay. We love you guys. You won this trade and you will win this game." Did anyone catch wind of Chicago's game there just before us? They got rear-ended by the refs too. Noah lost it and yelled a big, emphatic "Fuck You!" to them all before being ejected and paid $15,000 for it too. Good for him. Someone needs to speak up. I think either Kyle (in game) or DC (post game) should have spoken their mind and paid the piper.

But that last call on Lowry was clearly a move by the officiating staff to ensure a W by Sacramento. I know, I know Toronto should not rely on late game heroics, comebacks or rallies to win games. But the refs were on our asses from the opening whistle.

I just had to put it out there cuz I have been fuming all day over this shit. Raptors has rarely gotten any respect in the officiating department. But last night was the worst I have ever seen. Not to mention those "air fouls" as I like to call then. Our Raptors got royally screwed by the refs in the presence of the NBA's newest white knight, Adam Silver the Commissioner.
Do you think Silver is going to change anything with the way games are officiated? the players speak up and eat the fine? Do you think another empty apology from the league is coming today for that missed call (I think we got 2 or 3 apologies last year).

[slaw]

Usually I am one of the people saying that the refs aren't to blame and every team gets bad calls, etc. However, last night was one of those egregious instances where it was clear the refs played a large part in determining the outcome of that game from the opening tip. Regardless of how well you play, it is almost impossible to overcome that kind of free throw disparity.

The Kings get to line about 26 times a game, which is very, very good. They went there 51 times last night. That's well outside any sort of normal deviation.

EDIT: I expect the Raps to get some home cooking when Sacramento comes to Toronto. I would be willing to bet a large amount of money that Cousins has two fouls in the first 3-4 minutes.

[enlightenment]

out of the first 3 fouls on Val in 6 minutes, 2 were total phantom calls.

Chuck Hayes and Vasquez were given phantom calls,

we had 3 players foul out...

Every time we had a LITTLE momentum, there was a phantom call. It wasn't like they were called randomly, they were called directly as we started shutting down Sac.

[Yogi]

It wasn't like they were called randomly, they were called directly as we started shutting down Sac.

I noticed that too.

[JawsGT]

EDIT: I expect the Raps to get some home cooking when Sacramento comes to Toronto. I would be willing to bet a large amount of money that Cousins has two fouls in the first 3-4 minutes.

Yeah, you are probably right, which is disappointing no? Thats NBA reffing though, make a bad call or ten and then try to 'make it up' by making more bad calls on the other end or against another team. It will be interesting to see how the LAC game gets reffed, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Raps get the calls in that one to make up for last nights shit show.

Reffing an NBA game isn't easy, but I have to say that I have been very disgusted with the level and consistency of reffing this season. Jonas doesn't know what to be at out there, and how is he supposed to learn with the refs blowing the whistle the way they do?

[enlightenment]

Yeah, you are probably right, which is disappointing no? Thats NBA reffing though, make a bad call or ten and then try to 'make it up' by making more bad calls on the other end or against another team. It will be interesting to see how the LAC game gets reffed, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Raps get the calls in that one to make up for last nights shit show.

Reffing an NBA game isn't easy, but I have to say that I have been very disgusted with the level and consistency of reffing this season. Jonas doesn't know what to be at out there, and how is he supposed to learn with the refs blowing the whistle the way they do?

Then get a 4th Ref watching all the angles from another room who can overturn whistles as inadvertent/reverse calls/tell them when they need to review. Id rather the NBA be more based on REALITY than a smoother game.

[JawsGT]

Then get a 4th Ref watching all the angles from another room who can overturn whistles as inadvertent/reverse calls/tell them when they need to review. Id rather the NBA be more based on REALITY than a smoother game.

I'm not down with more stoppages, and that's what this would do. It's bad enough when the refs do it now. They just need to be better, and if they are trying to influence games then the league can go f#$k itself.

[enlightenment]

I'm not down with more stoppages, and that's what this would do. It's bad enough when the refs do it now. They just need to be better, and if they are trying to influence games then the league can go f#$k itself.

Its not MORE stoppages, its when a Ref blows a whistle (so a stoppage that wouldve happened already), there is now a 4th ref making sure the call was legit, and if it wasnt, should be able to either reverse the call (from blocking to charge) or call an inadvertent whistle.

The 4th ref is watching in real time, can rewind instantly, and can communicate to the refs on the floor what the calling should be.

[Axel]

I'd like to see more ref conversations on calls. It seems that there are plenty of times when the ref with the worst angle makes the call, but the one with the best doesn't. In those situations, the refs should converge and discuss (ala NFL) and if it isn't a foul, play it as an inadvertent whistle. Gotta try and make the right call.

[Axel]

Last night was 6th time an NBA team had 35+ fouls in a regulation game this season... all were road teams http://t.co/FaMdQnCbuD @ekoreen

— Chris Black (@ByChrisBlack) February 6, 2014

Obviously not an isolated problem.

[isaacthompson]

McLemore's contest did not eat into Lowry's vertical space, is what I'm saying. Was closer to a D foul than an O foul, though.

— Eric Koreen (@ekoreen) February 6, 2014

I think the Lowry call was a bad call, but it's also not as easy as people are making it out to be. Should have been a no-call, probably.

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) February 6, 2014

I agree with Lowe. The call wasn't obvious.

[Axel]

I agree with Lowe. The call wasn't obvious.

I think it was fairly obvious that Lowry didn't kick his leg out to get a foul called. He was fading away in a natural motion. Leg kick fouls are generally very obvious.

[Yogi]

I'd like to see more ref conversations on calls. It seems that there are plenty of times when the ref with the worst angle makes the call, but the one with the best doesn't. In those situations, the refs should converge and discuss (ala NFL) and if it isn't a foul, play it as an inadvertent whistle. Gotta try and make the right call.

Yea, then watch them give that gig to the more senior refs like Joey Crawford.

[Axel]

Yea, then watch them give that gig to the more senior refs like Joey Crawford.

What gig? All it takes is have the refs on the court converge to discuss before announcing any disputed call.

[Axel]

I think it was fairly obvious that Lowry didn't kick his leg out to get a foul called. He was fading away in a natural motion. Leg kick fouls are generally very obvious.

It's surprisingly hard to find the NBA rule book definition of every rule (the FIBA is easy) but here is from a NBA release when they instituted this rule; known as the Reggie Miller Rule.

"call offensive fouls on shooters who blatantly kick out their legs to initiate contact."

Blatantly kick to initiate contact. No way that applies to this shot.