The NBA’s Last Two Minute Reports (L2M) have been under fire again this week.
Controversial Calls in Recent Games:
In just two days, referees allowed two game-winning shots that should not have counted. Jayson Tatum and Julius Randle both scored buzzer-beaters, but the L2M reports later revealed they traveled before making their shots. For Tatum, the report noted he moved his pivot foot before dribbling during his three-pointer that gave the Celtics a win over the Raptors.
The NBA announced that Jayson Tatum committed a travel on his game-winning shot last night, per @ByTimReynolds
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
Randle’s case was even more complicated. The report showed he traveled with 2.7 seconds left and committed an offensive foul at 1.2 seconds before scoring against the Suns. If called correctly, the Suns would have had a chance to shoot free throws since they were in bonus territory when Randle made his shot.
The NBA announced that Julius Randle committed a travel on his game-winning shot last night, per @GeraldBourguet
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
More Referee Blunders:
LaMelo Ball got to take crucial free throws for the Hornets after officials mistakenly called a foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo. After reviewing, referee Curtis Blair admitted there was no illegal contact by Giannis during those final moments of play.
Fans sometimes feel like these mistakes are never-ending!
Bucks coach Doc Rivers was furious about this call and ended up being fined $25,000 for criticizing the referees. He argued that Ball slipped on purpose to make it look like Giannis fouled him.
Afterwards, Rivers joked about getting fined for pointing out such an obvious mistake: “It’s like when your girlfriend wears something terrible and asks what you thinkโyou’re in trouble no matter what you say.”
The Debate Over L2M Reports:
Some people believe that L2M reports help keep things transparent by admitting errors publicly. But others argue it only highlights how often mistakes happen without any real consequences for referees involved.
Mark Jackson once described these reports as “a beautiful luxury” because they allow admission of errors without holding referees accountable. This is one reason why he stepped away from broadcasting games; he felt everyone except refs faced consequences for their mistakes.
Jackson said earlier this year, “Iโm tired of hearing about mistakes in big games without accountability.”
There’s even talk of having refs review every call during those last two minutes liveโbut that could slow down games significantly! The NBA is definitely stuck between a rock and hard place trying to balance fairness with efficiency here…
