The NBA is one of the most scrutinized leagues when it comes to officiating.
It seems like every night and in every game, someone is complaining about the officials.
With how fast the players are moving and how quick the pace of play is, the officials are bound to miss a few calls.
But, it seems like this season they are cracking down on players taunting one another.
NBA head of referee development and training Monty McCutchen spoke about how unchecked “taunting” usually escalates to more “passionate play” and “physicality,” via NBACentral.
Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s head of referee development and training, states that unchecked taunting often escalates to more ‘passionate play’ and ‘physicality’
“What we do know historically, is that taunting gone unchecked leads to altercations. It leads to an increase in… pic.twitter.com/3t6rHLcR1U
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 14, 2023
The referees are hoping the more they crack down on taunting the fewer altercations there will be.
There has to be a fine line the officials must walk.
Letting players show emotion is important, that is what fans want to see.
Every fan wants to know that their players care and play their hardest each night.
But, doing so without showing up the opponent is what the referees are hoping for.
This is a topic of conversation because Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was ejected from a game due to taunting.
He received a technical foul which was his second of the game and resulted in an immediate ejection.
No one wants to see the best players in the league ejected for showing emotion.
Hopefully, the league will be able to find a resolution to the taunting issue without having to assess technical fouls.
But, even if the play does become more physical in the NBA, is that a bad thing?
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