The players and the NBA enthusiasts have found themselves a new enemy this season, and it’s one nobody would’ve ever expected in the past: the referees.
Well, aren’t referees supposed to be the ones who enforce the rules and maintain “order” in the game? Aren’t they supposed to break up the chaos and not cause it?
These days, the fans and players aren’t so sure anymore. At the start of the season, there had been some missed calls in several games, and the officials had admitted their mistakes during that time. The situation and the mayhem right now, however, are a bit peculiar.
The referees are giving technical fouls for “stare downs”, or in their term “taunting”, an act that has long been in the league for as long as fans can remember. Stare downs, the iconic celebratory dances, and the brawl—no matter how frowned upon these acts are outside the court—are what make the games more exciting and fun to watch.
Referees Differ
Well, the referees beg to differ with us on this matter, apparently.
The first “technical foul due to taunting” came during the Bucks vs. Pistons game last Thursday. The Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had just slammed a dunk, and coming down from the rim, he stared down for apparently “too long” at the Pistons’ center, Isaiah Stewart.
The second incident came during the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Golden State Warriors. In a similar scenario, Anthony Edwards ran towards the basket at full speed with the ball in his hand and, in a second, performed a monster poster dunk. And as he came down to celebrate his win, he stared down at Warriors forward Dario Saric, an act that was again called a “technical foul.”
Austin Rivers calls out officials
In a fit of rage after Edwards got a technical foul, Austin Rivers took to social media to slam the officials, writing, “Can we stop giving guys techs for stare downs…it’s stupid and takes away from the game. Happened again tonight with Ant. Yall want guys to compete and play with an edge. It’s all passion nothing personal. Stop that Bs.”
Can we stop giving guys techs for stare downs…it’s stupid and takes away from the game. Happened again tonight with Ant. Yall want guys to compete and play with an edge. It’s all passion nothing personal. Stop that Bs.
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) November 13, 2023
Cover Photo: IG