The NBA playoffs this year have been weird for a number of reasons. Besides various injuries and several toss-up series in the first round, it’s anyone’s guess who will be the last one standing.
But amid all the chaos, the NBA itself is getting some pushback for the decision-making of their officials lately. In the span of just a few games, James Harden, Draymond Green, and Nic Claxton were all given flagrant fouls for questionable plays. Speaking on his podcast, Warriors star Draymond Green called out the NBA for how they’ve been calling the playoffs so far.
“I’m never in favor of seeing a player get suspended. I’m never in favor of seeing a player get kicked out of the game. So, the buck stops there. It’s playoff basketball. That’s Nic Claxton going up against Joel Embiid, MVP of the league. You dunk on him you should flex in his face because he’s gonna give you 40 and flex in yours. So when I get my moment, you should flex in his face. And I bet you there was not one fan who paid to watch that game who was like ‘man why is he flexing in his face.’ As a fan, I was very disappointed.”
"That's not playoffs. That's not what we're paying to see."
—@Money23Green SOUNDS OFF on how the refs handled Harden, Embiid and Claxton pic.twitter.com/LXXIoMcAcO
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) April 21, 2023
Clax was thrown out for taunting EMbiid twice during the course of the game, while Embiid was allowed to stay in after throwing some kicks toward Claxton after the dunk. In the same game, James Harden was thrown out for making minor contact on an offensive play.
With all the plays happening in just the opening round, there are sure to be more questionable calls made over the next few weeks.
Should NBA Address Officiating Problems?
Players and fans will always complain about the refs, but there is a belief among the basketball community that the game is growing soft with how much offensive players get bailed out at the free-throw line.
Some have suggested a fix, but the league has yet to take action.
“The way technology has evolved, the refs could call up to headquarters and make sure they get the call right quickly so it doesn’t even slow down the game,” said a former Lakers big man. “This problem could be easily fixed.”
Obviously, there’s nothing Draymond or any player can do to change the rules now, but perhaps the league office will notice the outrage and send a message to the referees that they need to hold the whistle during the NBA playoffs.
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