The eye-opener came back in November.
The Cavaliers’ LeBron James was ejected from a game. Yeah, LeBron James. He was ejected for the first time in his career.
Since then, the season has seen complain upon complaint. Some players admit fault, such as Warrior Kevin Durant who was ejected against the Knicks this week and later acknowledged he behaved like “a jerk” and apologized. Some merely want consistency.
The Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie, after a game against the Celtics in which he was slammed late driving to the basket but got no call on a play that could have been viewed as felonious assault in numerous states, noted the lack of respect his team receives. Knick Courtney Lee, victimized recently by a late-game technical, bemoaned the absence of veteran refs such as Dick Bavetta, Joey Crawford and Monty McCutchen, who is off the court and in the league office.
So the NBA hopes to do something about it. On Friday the league announced a five-part plan “designed to address the on-court working relationship between NBA players and referees.”
It can’t hurt.
“It’s been an interesting season, but the thing for me that’s been an eyesore is the officiating. I think the officiating has been horrible,” one team executive said. “They lost too many good officials, the older guys … I don’t know what a continuation is. I see three shots a game where a guy has picked up his dribble, gets bumped while he’s in the air and it’s a common foul. It’s impossible.”
The NBA hopes to institute the plan as soon as next week but before the Feb. 16-18 All-Star break. Even in a year where James got bounced, the increase in technical fouls (555, from 547) and ejections (40, from 33) has been minimal while flagrant fouls are down (68 from 86) over a similar period of time from last season, according to the NBA.
“As a league, we take great pride in standing for the best things about sports: competition, teamwork, respect, sportsmanship, diversity and inclusion,” NBA President of League Operations Byron Spruell said in announcing the plan. “Recently we have seen instances in which we have not lived up to our own collective standards with regard to sportsmanship.”
The Players Association placed its support behind the league measure.
“The NBPA supports any effort that enhances the players’ experience and performance on and off the court,” a union spokesperson said. “We appreciate the steps taken by the NBA to improve the current playing environment and we look forward to making further progress through our meeting with the NBRA.”
It sort of hurt relations when referee Courtney Kirkland and the Warriors’ Shaun Livingston went forehead-to-forehead after a disputed December call. Livingston was suspended a game, Kirkland didn’t ref for a week.
The new program will be overseen by Michelle Johnson, NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Referee Operations and McCutchen, NBA Vice President, Head of Referee Development and Training.
The program outline:
Johnson and McCutchen will meet with all 30 teams before the All-Star break to discuss rules, interpretations, court conduct and expectations of referees.
The NBA will re-emphasize its “Respect for the Game” rules with referees, coaches and players in an attempt to gain consistency in enforcing rules.
The NBA Referee Operations Department will expand and intensify its rules education program for coaches, players and team personnel to explain the rules and their interpretations.
Johnson and McCutchen also will oversee expanded training for referees on “conflict resolution” and closely monitor that refs’ behavior towards players, coaches and team personnel meets NBA decorum standards.
The NBA’s Officiating Advisory Council will be utilized to help all parties find resolutions to problems when they arise.
After the season the league will reassess expected standards and possible penalties for the actions of all involved — players, coaches, referees.