NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson took time with FanHouse this week to address some postseason issues regarding officiating and punishment.Question: How did this year's postseason flagrant foul numbers compare with other years?
Jackson: In terms of flagrant fouls called this year in the playoffs, there were 17, which was one less than last year. That was more flagrant fouls than were called in 2006-07, but less than 2005-06. So, it was basically consistent with the last four or five years.
Question: How about the number that were rescinded compared to other years?
Jackson: Five were downgraded to zero or simply personal fouls this year. There were four last year, one the previous year, and then three and three. So this year was the highest by one.
Question: Is every disciplinary action made public by the league?
Jackson: Not 100 percent of them are. We have some incidents that involve relatively minor infractions that do not get announced or there are other situations where we may choose not to announce the fine. If there's a suspension involved, that will always be announced.
Question: What would you say is the No. 1 officiating issue, situation or call that gets scrutinized the most among the league, players and front offices?Jackson: I don't think there's any one, with respect to the types of calls. There are may types of calls that are difficult to call in real time. Obviously, player fouls are one of them. The block/charge call is very difficult, traveling is very difficult to call in real time. Bang-bang out-of-bounds plays are difficult. There are many calls that are difficult given the speed at which our game is played.
Question: Where is the league on replay right now?
Jackson: We currently have a recommendation that's going before the board of governors this summer to include certain 24-second violations. We also at the last competition committee meeting in May agreed that we form an instant replay sub-committee to look at the state of instant replay in our game today and also look at instant replay in our game going forward. And thirdly, any formulation of new instant replay, that committee would then make a recommendation to the general competition committee.
Question: Are there any plans to address the block/charge call and do you see a need to address the block/charge call?
Jackson: That particular call, and I'm sure (senior vice president, basketball operations) Ron Johnson would tell you, is addressed every single season as it's one of the more difficult calls to make. Often times even with having the advantage of using the broadcast replay the block/charge plays are difficult to determine even with video. That always has been and always will be an area of focus within our rules of officiating.
Question: That sounds like a "no."
Jackson: Actually just the opposite. We always look at that. Referees go to training camp in the fall, and it's always one of the topics there because it's always a difficult play.
Question: It seems one of the greatest assets of the league is the athleticism of the players and their ability to play above the rim. Does the league plan on going farther in terms of encouraging more shot-blocking, by perhaps allowing a little more leeway up high and maybe being more rigid with guys sliding in to take a charge?Jackson: Currently, under our existing rules, the one thing we've encouraged is for players to make basketball plays, which are often shot-block attempts. We allow a player to jump vertically in the restricted area around the rim. They can go make that basketball play as long as they are vertical. There no foul will necessarily be called. Referees may have a no call on that play or it could be an offensive charge. So that encourages particularly our frontcourt players to jump off the ground and block shots.
As it relates to the block/charge call, I don't know that by altering the way we call it that we necessarily encourage more blocked-shot attempts because the way players are coached at every level to gain a legal defensive position before the offensive player drives into space. That's the way players are taught. I don't know that altering the way we call it equates to more shot-block attempts.
Question: We saw Dwight Howard get a technical foul, later rescinded, for a celebratory act. Do you measure a celebratory act the same way you would measure taunting?
Jackson: There's a judgment. We don't want to take the emotion out of the game and a player celebrating or even having a heat-of-the-moment reaction even when he's not celebrating and may not be angry, those actions are tolerated. It's a judgment of the official. It's when a player has a reaction and continues to pursue and official or continues the reaction, that it will be met with a technical foul. In terms of emotion, we don't want to take that away. In the Dwight Howard situation, he was clearly celebrating his accomplishment and not taunting.
