Reffing the Refs: Examining the NBA’s Most Scrutinized Job

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 3 May 2022

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When it comes to NBA referees, especially in the postseason, it’s hard not to think of that proverb about children: “They should be seen, and not heard.” But in recent days, NBA fans have been hearing plenty about the refs. Everyone from Draymond Green to Chris Paul to Joel Embiid have weighed in, frustrated by how the playoffs have been called. But in the eyes of NBA writer Ben Dowsett — our referee whisperer if you will — there’s also a lot more to this fraught dynamic than meets the eye. Dowsett takes us inside the world of NBA officiating to show us why everyone is frustrated with them, whether or not the league’s quest for accountability is doing anything…and why some teams are quietly redefining what it means to “work the refs.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	ESPN Daily is presented by Supercuts, the smarter, easier way to get a haircut.
0:06.9	It's not just any haircut.
0:08.8	It's Supercuts.
0:10.2	54-53 Memphis 90 seconds to go in the first half.
0:18.0	As to Anderson on the right, Fakes the three on Dreymont, who ripped it away, it's loose.
0:22.2	Memphis keeps though.
0:23.2	Anderson drives into traffic, leaves it for Clark, who's fouled hard, and now Brandon Clark
0:28.3	on the floor.
0:29.7	When it comes to NBA referees, especially in the postseason, it's hard not to think
0:34.8	of that old English proverb about children.
0:38.1	That they should be seen and not heard.
0:41.8	Oh, Dreymont grabbed the front of the jersey.
0:44.5	That's a dangerous play.
0:45.9	That's a flagrant one.
0:46.9	That's what that is.
0:47.9	That's a non-Basca ball play.
0:49.9	Throw them out.
0:50.9	That's the chance to be there with the Grizzly fans.
0:55.8	Dreymont on Sunday during a very dramatic game, one of the Warriors Grizzly series in
0:59.9	the Western Conference semifinals.
1:02.2	We heard from the reps.
1:03.6	There we go.
	...

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