LeBron James, Dwyane Wade rip NBA's 'Last Two Minute' referee report
The NBA's 'Last Two Minute' referee reports, which rehash the mistakes made by officials in the final two minutes whenever the margin is within five points, can be a little frustrating. They retroactively assess what should've happened without actually righting any wrongs.
For referees, it's public humiliation. For teams that lost because of a bad call, it only makes them feel worse.
Dwyane Wade and LeBron James are not fans of the reports, and on Friday they explained why focusing on the game's final moments is detrimental to how fans (and kids) value the first 45 minutes (via ESPN, Ohio.com):
The purpose of the report is obvious: increase transparency. The league wants fans to know that they know referees are human beings who make bad calls in big spots. It's an uppercut to the jaw of conspiracy theorists. But Wade and James are absolutely correct when they say the NBA should either do away with final two-minute reports or grade the entire game.
The problem there is it'd take forever, and nobody cares about an incorrect whistle in the second quarter of a Bucks-Magic game on January 9th. Bad calls will always be a part of sports, they make things fascinating and worthwhile. Letting people know that they exist is unnecessary -- unless there's noticeable improvement from the referees.
