NBA’s subjective officiating opens eyes in Finals
MIAMI — The NBA Finals, and certainly J.R. Smith’s world, certainly would be a different place today if the NBA operated by the letter of the law.
Which, as even the league has acknowledged, it doesn’t.
Because instead of the fiasco that ensued after George Hill’s missed free throw at the end of regulation in Game 1, the Cleveland Cavaliers guard would have been granted a doover. And Smith likely would never have had the chance to impose a scoring system evident only to himself.
As the video supplied by the NBA in its postgame officiating report so clearly showed, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was in the lane too early on Hill’s second, errant free throw, the miss that left the game tied in the mind of all but Smith.
By rule, that would have left Hill with another chance at a go-ahead, replacement free throw.
Only there was no whistle following that Hill miss, only Smith left to dribble into the glare of LeBron James.
Instead, the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report, summed up the moment thusly, “[Incidental or immaterial] Green (GSW) steps into the lane prior to the release of the free throw attempt.”
Alongside, under the heading of “Review Decision,” there was no listing, none of the typical designations of “Correct Call” or “Incorrect Call” or “Correct Non-Call” or “Incorrect Non-Call.”
The NBA rulebook states, “If an opponent violates, the shooter shall receive a substitute free throw if his attempt is unsuccessful but shall be ignored if the attempt is successful.”
Hill missed. No replacement free throw was awarded. Play continued.
Granted, no one at the moment clamored for a lane violation. They go uncalled all the time. Had Hill made the free throw, it wouldn’t even be a talking point. And Smith, with his aggressive rebound over Kevin Durant, could have rendered it all moot by playing as if he knew the score was tied.
Then again, Smith secured his rebound of Hill’s missed free throw on a play the NBA officiating report noted, “Smith (CLE) makes incidental contact with Durant (GSW) that does not affect his ability to retrieve the rebound.” That played was ruled “Correct Non-Call.”
Why? Because the NBA officiating review determined the contact was “incidental.”
All of which — the “incidental” and “immaterial” of it all — brings us to the block-charge call that moments earlier went in favor of Durant and the Warriors and against LeBron James and the Cavaliers, the play that was reviewed for possible positioning at the restricted area.
In the moment, referee Ken Mauer, among the league’s best, called a charge. Upon review, with assistance from the NBA’s replay center, it was reversed to a blocking foul. It was the play — even more than Smith’s walkabout — that had the most significant impact on the result.
And one that has left us with two days of debate of how a judgment call can be overturned, by, well, a judgment call.
The officiating report, addressed that play, as well, noting, “The crew was not reasonably certain whether James (CLE) was in the restricted area after an offensive foul was called against Durant (GSW). Upon replay review, it was confirmed that James was outside the restricted area. The referees also reviewed whether James was in a legal guarding position, which is an additional reviewable matter for this replay trigger. Replay showed James was not in a legal guarding position because he was turning his body and moving into Durant when contact occurred. Thus the initial call on the floor was overturned and James was assessed a blocking foul.”
Block-charge — the ultimate subjective call. And yet on that one, the officials felt there was enough certainty to overturn their ruling.
Yet when a player clearly stepped into the lane prematurely during arguably the biggest free throw of the season to this stage? Crickets.
So the NBA goes by the letter of the law when it comes to the ability to overturn the Durant charging call. But the Green lane violation? Not so much.
In this case, the officiating report only further blurred the line between hard-and-fast rules and on-the-fly interpretation. NBA whistles . . . all in the ear of the beholder.