Valley of the Suns
Fansided

The Phoenix Suns are hurting: The NBA must FIX the officiating!

By Andrew Clark

ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 26: Referee officials JB Derosa, Josh Tiven, and Nick Buchert discuss a play during the game between the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic on December 26, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 26: Referee officials JB Derosa, Josh Tiven, and Nick Buchert discuss a play during the game between the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic on December 26, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
SACRAMENTO, CA – DECEMBER 27: NBA referees Tom Washington, Leon Wood, and Tyler Ford look on prior to the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings on December 27, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – DECEMBER 27: NBA referees Tom Washington, Leon Wood, and Tyler Ford look on prior to the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings on December 27, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Add an Additional Referee

Having three officials today makes for a lot of running up and down the court. While not so laborious as to prevent Dick Bavetta from lapping Charles Barkley, it is a challenge when you task each official with a ton of potential calls that they have to account for while literally on the run.

Giving officials more stationary time to focus and less potential calls to focus on should improve the overall accuracy of the calls.

More from Valley of the Suns

Instead of running a triangle coverage, the officials could run a box. That way the running consists just of move from baseline to the trailing position and back again. That cuts the court into quarters and cuts down on the movement and re-positioning. It means the lead official doesn’t have to cover an entire baseline that they currently can’t see.

Think of it too from a football perspective Consider that there is also a lot less movement on certain parts of a play in which officials aren’t having to run around in order to keep an eye on (specifically on the line).

Sure, they too can miss a lot of calls, I am not discounting the fact that they are all human. But the NBA has constant movement, and with so much of the game now predicated on fastbreaks, officials are always moving.

If the league added a foot of room on the court they could also take all four officials off the actual playing surface which would help eliminate a lot of the goofy plays where a ref becomes an inadvertent obstacle course.

Home/Suns News