Referee Bias? Discuss, vent, etc..

[enlightenment]

Toronto's ft discrepency is easily explained

They give up alot of FTs because they have little rim protection. As a result Casey tries to pack the paint which means when someone does attempt to penetrate or post up you get a hand reaching in or a body moving a split second too late. Its a simple matter of phsics. Too much moving 'stuff' (hands, arms, bodies, legs) in a small space.

They don't get to the free throw line because two of their highest usage players, Andrea and Demar, are still trying to avoid contact. The players in the NBA who get to the line consistently both initiate and invite contact. They don't double clutch once in the air, they don't try to euro step around players, they don't try to turn everything into a reverse lay up. Towards the rim, while going over, into or through the defense gets you to the line. As long as they don't reach the other extreme, looking like a drunken running back trying to bust through a goal line stand, they will shoot more free throws.

have you been watching demar lately? "Towards the rim" is like whats tattooed behind his eye lids. He gets pummeled by two defenders who are on the move, and the no-calls continue to pile up. There was one game where DD deserved 10 fta... and had 4.

Its also not like we've been exerting unequal forces here. literally on man-to-man, JV gets called for holding his ground and absorbing the dug shoulder of the offensive player. Its an instant whistle for random touch fouls like those.

[Craiger]

have you been watching demar lately? "Towards the rim" is like whats tattooed behind his eye lids. He gets pummeled by two defenders who are on the move, and the no-calls continue to pile up. There was one game where DD deserved 10 fta... and had 4.

Its also not like we've been exerting unequal forces here. literally on man-to-man, JV gets called for holding his ground and absorbing the dug shoulder of the offensive player. Its an instant whistle for random touch fouls like those.

yes i have been watching Demar and I completely disagree. As soon as he's in the air and someone challenges him he double pumps. While going to the rim he still isn't trying to go over players or into them. He is still trying to avoid contact.

You can say he deserves more fts, and there have been a couple of occasions where this is true, on a whole I don't see it. We may not like how NBA officials make calls, but this is how they do it and how they've done it for decades. If he wants to get to the free throw line more often and he needs to consistently invite and iniate contact not consistently attempt to avoid it. That simple.

[Nilanka]

yes i have been watching Demar and I completely disagree. As soon as he's in the air and someone challenges him he double pumps. While going to the rim he still isn't trying to go over players or into them. He is still trying to avoid contact.

You can say he deserves more fts, and there have been a couple of occasions where this is true, on a whole I don't see it. We may not like how NBA officials make calls, but this is how they do it and how they've done it for decades. If he wants to get to the free throw line more often and he needs to consistently invite and iniate contact not consistently attempt to avoid it. That simple.

I wouldn't even call it a "double pump". I honestly believe it's a fear of contact. When going up in traffic, DeMar's arms subconsciously come down to protect his ribs/torso from the ensuing blow.

Anyone who's played football knows what I'm talking about. There's a mental barrier that needs to be broken before that fear goes away.

[enlightenment]

well his aggressiveness is definitely there. If his technique in-air needs to change, im sure he will catch on. Ive seen him drive hard though, many more times this year than the last.