2018-19 NBA Thread

I've always thought the officiating makes the most game to game difference in how NBA playoffs play out and I think that is ridiculous. Have a rotating group of five for each series, that way there is less variation game to game.

 

It is striking how much officiating affects basketball versus the other Big 4 sports. Hockey there are so few penalties per game and in the playoffs, the officials tend to let things play out unless it is really obvious. Baseball, with the exception of balls and strikes and even then, tends to have very few close plays so everything is decided by the players. Football might be second to basketball just because pass interference is so costly and holding can be called in just about every play. But even football is minuscule compared to basketball.

Man, Warriors-Rockets was the most anticipated series in the playoffs and after just one game it has to be the one everyone wants to just have over already. I know the Warriors complain. so. damned. much but the Rockets have taken it to a whole new level. It's bad when the Warriors seem like the team being the most reasonable toward the officiating.

 

It's been one game. One game in which the officiating went the Warriors' way.

Giant shocker that the Warriors didn't bitch more than the team that was adversely affected by the officiating.

 

Fair enough. My point was based on a couple of things 1) The dude who draws more fouls than anyone by far demanded to have a fair chance and 2) the Rockets complained so hard after Game 1 (which I understand from their perspective but...) and then it came out that they had prepared a whole "officiating robbed us of a championship" report compete with numerical values for the points they lost.

 

Agreed with the last paragraph, totally. Houston doing it's own report was high school. Don't throw up 27 straight bricks, let's talk. Otherwise ...

 

Which NBA Team Is Wronged By The Refs The Most?

I do wonder what the cause of it. Calls tend to even out - the officials see the stats at halftime to help ensure it. I know the big thing in NBA officiating is the "managing the game" style or the "technical perfection" style.

 

A development today that (understandably) won't get any attention, but is a big deal for the two teams involved:

The Pelicans hired away the Suns' head trainer, Aaron Nelson.

For years the Suns were able to sign solid veteran free agents because they were known to have the best training staff. Guys like Grant Hill came to Phoenix because they believe playing for the Suns would prolong their career, particularly if they had a history of injury trouble. That was Aaron Nelson. Losing him is a huge mistake and a reminder that Robert Sarver is a cheap idiot.

On the flip side, free agents won't go to New Orleans -- and significantly, players want out of New Orleans -- because they have by far the worst training staff in the league. They are football trainers, including a staff member who was moved from the Saints to the Pelicans for being incompetent. The owners just moved that person to the team they don't care about. Aaron Nelson fixes this immediately.

This move is a reminder that the new GM David Griffin really knows what he's doing, and the Pelicans hiring him was a major coup. Ridiculous that the Lakers and Suns didn't make a serious run at him. I don't know if he can convince Anthony Davis to stay, but as long as Griffin is there New Orleans is no longer a dumpster fire.

 

Nice post and thanks for the info - that's one of those "on the margins" things that is probably worth 10x whatever they paid to lure him away.

 

Much less jawing at the officials last night. It also seemed possible to shoot a three without hitting the floor.

 

The Rockets didn't have as much kick in them as usual.