Ryan LaCroix

Thoughts on officiating: - Fans always feel their team gets screwed, but universally, everyone watching OKC feels like something is off in how they're officiated. That matters. It just does. OKC Fans will claim jealousy or hate because the alternative is untenable for them. But there is a genuine feeling among all fans that the disparity in SGA's whistle to their defensive whistle is incongruous - The next step is the "So you think the league is rigging for a small market team?" and I understand the consequential thinking, but I think it's healthier to just focus on the problem. I think there's no grand conspiracy but there IS an incongruity in officiating. - Last year, we had an awesome first round, in which the players were openly pleading to be less physical because they felt it was dangerous. So now we've gotten a regular-season whistle. And it sucks. As fans, we hate it. I don't know what that balance should be because it's not my body on the line, but it sure feels like there's a way to have a physical contact sport set of officiating perameters that also deters dangerous play - Finch was campaigning to try and politic a win, but he also wasn't wrong when before Game 2 he made the point that the call should be based on what happens at point of contact and not what happens afterward (flop/flail/fall). The contact is what needs to matter and not the sell job after it. - Shai is genuinely difficult to officiate because he IS incredible at driving and controlling where he goes to challenge direct path defense. It's a genuine skill he has. - He also sells because otherwise he doesn't get the call. This is maybe the biggest problem of all: if you legitimately create the contact but don't performatively exagerate it, you will not be rewarded. That's a problem. - We always find something to say is a problem with the NBA, and more so in the playoffs when it's in the spotlight. But this is a genuijne issue for watchability. Fans don't want this. The league needs to listen.

That’s a foul ref

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