Livingston-Kirkland may spark conversation
Cavaliers secure 13th straight win
Referees have a thankless job.
Someone inevitably complains about almost every call they make. Fans scream at them. Players scream at them. Coaches scream at them. They get the overwhelming majority of calls right. The ones they get wrong become big news.
That being said, they’re not without flaws.
So that’s what made what the NBA did Monday so significant. The league suspended Golden State guard Shaun Livingston for one game because he got involved in an on-court altercation with referee Courtney Kirkland, a justifiable sanction because players cannot be permitted to angrily make contact with referees, ever.
But the NBA also suspended Kirkland for a week over his role in what happened in the game against Miami.
“We regret the recent incident between Courtney Kirkland and Shaun Livingston,” the National Basketball Referees Association said. “The NBRA has reached out to the National Basketball Players Association to explore ways to improve on-court communications and civility.”
It’s time to have those talks.
The player-referee relationship, while never buddy-buddy, seems very strained right now. Kevin Durant has been ejected from three games already this season, after getting kicked out of one in his first 700 NBA games. Goran Dragic was so angry over a non-call last week that he kicked a basket stanchion. LeBron James recently got the first ejection of his 15-year NBA career.
“At this point, it’s like they’re trying to turn me into a jump-shooter,” James said after his ejection last month, repeating a stance he’s offered plenty of times before that he doesn’t always get the same sort of calls that others get when they drive to the rim. “I can’t be a jump-shooter. I’m not a jump-shooter.”
Referees are taught to defuse situations and not add fuel to the proverbial fire. That’s where Kirkland failed. Livingston got in his face to argue that he had been fouled seconds earlier, and replays suggested he had a case. Kirkland then took two steps toward Livingston, hardly in a menacing way, but in a manner that didn’t help the situation.
“Both the official and the player were part of it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
Kerr took the high road, though it was clear that whatever happened shouldn’t have happened. Livingston loses a game check and now might find himself wondering if he’ll be watched more critically by referees going forward. Kirkland loses a week of work, and when he’s eligible to return starting Monday, he’s probably going to face even more scrutiny.
It’s a teachable moment for the NBA. The league would be foolish to not take advantage. The week ahead
Some of the key games to watch in the next week:
L.A. Lakers at Philadelphia, today: Lonzo Ball is shooting 31 percent, which is the worst — by far — of any starter in the NBA this season.
Oklahoma City-Brooklyn, today, and MiamiBrooklyn, Saturday: Mexico City hosts NBA regularseason
games for the 25th and 26th time.
Boston at Detroit, Sunday: The East’s best team so far meets one of the East’s surprises, a club that is playing like a Stan Van Gundy team. Wednesday CAVALIERS 101, KINGS
95: In Cleveland, LeBron James drained a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left and finished with 32 points as the Cavaliers tied a franchise record with their 13th straight win.
James, who changed his sneakers three times, also had 11 rebounds and nine assists, helping the Cavs rally from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to remain unbeaten since Nov. 11.
His decisive 3-pointer in the final minute over JaKarr Sampson came after James went to the bench during a timeout and told coach Tyronn Lue to run a play for him.
“Was going to run a different play and then Bron said, ‘I want Chicago.’ So I said, ‘OK,’” Lue said. “We got it to him and he made a big shot.” PELICANS 123, NUGGETS 114: In New Orleans, DeMarcus Cousins had 40 points, 22 rebounds and four blocks, and the Pelicans won for the second time in three games without Anthony Davis. WARRIORS 101, HORNETS 87: In Charlotte, N.C., Kevin Durant had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Golden State beat the Hornets without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. SPURS 117, HEAT 105: In San Antonio, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 points, and the balanced Spurs beat Miami. PACERS 98, BULLS 96: In Indianapolis, Victor
including Oladipo scored a clutch 27 3-pointer points, with Indiana 31.1 beat seconds Chicago. left, and MAGIC 110, HAWKS 106 (OT): In Orlando, Fla., Evan Fournier scored 27 points but injured his right ankle as Orlando rallied to beat Atlanta in overtime. CELTICS 97, MAVERICKS 90: In Boston, Kyrie Irving had 23 points and five assists, and Jayson Tatum added 17 points and 10 rebounds to help the Celtics slip past Dallas. BUCKS 104, PISTONS 100: In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points and nine rebounds, and the Bucks used a strong start to the fourth quarter to beat Detroit. KNICKS 99, GRIZZLIES
88: In New York, Courtney Lee scored 24 points, Kristaps Porzingis had 18 after a slow start in his return to the lineup, and the Knicks beat Memphis.