We have all been there: A blatantly obvious call to everyone but the referee who made it gets called, and the audience, coach and players melt down in response. At times, technical fouls follow soon after, piling on the damage that can make a bad call even worse, sometimes even shifting the entire momentum of the game.
And while it might seem to some Boston Celtics fans that it happens more often to their favorite team than others, blown calls are part of the landscape of the league, as LeBron James was quite vocal about drawing attention to in his last meeting with Boston as a Los Angeles Laker.
But do referees know when they make a bad call? Or do they need the benefit of replay and the crowd reaction to realize the errors they have made?
The hosts of the Athletic “Hoops Adjacent” podcast sat down with retired NBA referee Bob Delant to talk it over.
Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear it from the official’s point of view.
Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ
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