by ESPN, ESPN
Commissioner Adam Silver says the NBA doesn’t have a choice on whether to be as transparent as possible in determining whether key crunch-time plays were officiated correctly “with so many cameras focused on the action, with so many other kinds of services providing that same information to our fans or to the public.”
Silver, speaking in an interview with ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth on NBA Tonight, said with the focus of much of this season’s playoffs on the officiating and how it has affected the outcome of games, that the refs still get it right a “vast majority of the time.”
“Roughly 90 percent — they get it right,” Silver said. “Now, of course, I’d like 90 percent to be 100 percent. And so would they. But what these reports also show, what fans already know is, human error is part of this game, and the best athletes in the world make mistakes. And coaches occasionally make mistakes. Officials do, too.”
Game officials have faced compounded controversy as a result of bad calls or non-calls in nearly every series of this season’s playoffs as the NBA’s “Last Two Minute Report” confirms what has often been made readily apparent not long after a play through TV and internet video, fueling a new round of headlines.
“My goal is for it not to be a storyline. There’s no question about that,” Silver said. “And even if you ask our officials, their goal is to not be noticed.”
The league releases a report on officiating after each game that has a margin of five points or fewer at the two-minute mark.
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