Valley of the Suns
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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) /
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – DECEMBER 16: Field judge Tom Hill #97 (L) and referee Shawn Hochuli #83 review a New York Giants punt in which they challenged during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium on December 16, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – DECEMBER 16: Field judge Tom Hill #97 (L) and referee Shawn Hochuli #83 review a New York Giants punt in which they challenged during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at MetLife Stadium on December 16, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

Use More Technology

The modern NBA is full of cool new technology. Several teams are using sensors to monitor the arch and rotation of a shot and provide real-time feedback to players. There is no reason the NBA can’t install some simple sensors to improve calls.

For example, basic technology could assess whether a shot was taken behind the 3-point line or not (some broadcast television coverage has experimented with this in which the 3-point line lights up on screen if the shooter’s toes are behind the line). That same technology could determine if the ball was in or out of bounds (think tennis – it works for them and that is a three-inch ball flying at one hundred miles an hour the moment it hits the line).

These technologies can also be used to determine if a player commits a lane violation.

This stuff isn’t risky or futuristic. It’s pretty mundane technology in a pretty pedestrian application much of which has already been utilized in both other professional sports and other levels of basketball.

The NBA could easily test this out in the G League and try to take more and more of the human element out of the games. They should try to eliminate as many of these straightforward challenges as they can and allow the officials to focus on doing fewer things better.

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