Dame Lillard: “The way the game has been officiated is Unacceptable “

[bisme37]

Are these the same refs from the Olympics...asking for a friend

Haha, but honestly I think a lot of the changes in NBA officiating this year were because people watched the Olympics and preferred the more physical style of play, which made the NBA want to emulate that in some ways. The reffing I'm seeing this year reminds me of FIBA officiating.

[Yuri Vaultin]

Are these the same refs from the Olympics...asking for a friend

Haha, but honestly I think a lot of the changes in NBA officiating this year were because people watched the Olympics and preferred the more physical style of play, which made the NBA want to emulate that in some ways. The reffing I'm seeing this year reminds me of FIBA officiating.

That and the fact that watching players cheat to get free throws and shoot 15+ of them makes for a lousy viewing/tv experience.

[Loaded_Hollows]

Reminder some people think Lillard is better or just as good as Steph curry loool

Is that actually a popular opinion?

[Synciere]

I like Dame, but he's doing some serious deflecting here.

Fact is, there's a new mandate, and the fact that many players have complained means that it is being applied equally and fairly. Thus, it can't be 'unacceptable.' The fans have clearly accepted it.

[Myth]

Reminder some people think Lillard is better or just as good as Steph curry loool

Is that actually a popular opinion?

No, mostly trolls.

[HiRez]

For the most part I really like the change (but no idea why it took so many years), but I do think an exception should be made for when the player with the ball is in the air. In that case I think less contact should be allowed as it can be dangerous, especially if the defender is pushing the body laterally.

[Duke4life831]

He's right. Refs are consistently not calling legitimate fouls. I get that people are happy with the way things are now, glad the Harden/Trae foul-baiting has been done away with, but if you're brushing this off, don't complain when your star player gets hacked without a call in key moment.

That is kind of the entire point that people are making though.

The new foul calling is as close to being universally loved as a new rule can be in a sport. Guess what that means, that means fans of teams that have their own stars are still big fans of the new rule change. Its not like the NBA said okay, were going to start with this new rule, but were going to role it out team by team. So Portland is the first team that will have these new rules called against them. If that was the case, then Id get the whole "You may be a fan of it now, but once it comes to your team you wont be a fan of it."

Every team is being called this way, so every fanbase is having their teams being called like this. Even then its almost universally loved. Hell there are even plenty of Portland fans in here saying they disagree with Dame.

I think its pretty simple, the vast majority of people like watching basketball when the offensive players make high skilled moves to try and put the ball in the basket. They arent fans of players making non basketball moves and acting to get to the FT line. Even if it means their team and their star goes to the line less, its a better game to watch.

[TRik]

In my book this is one of the best things to happen with the NBA in like twenty years. I have zero sympathy for the ego maniacal players that benefited most from cheating the game for years. Nobody enjoyed watching the NBA reward their flopball. It took the league too long to act as it was beginning to hurt the NBA brand, but thank god it finally acted. Guys like Harden, Trae, and now Dame need to zip it and count their blessings.

[Texas Chuck]

I get his frustration and have sympathy for him. And Harden. And Trae. And offensive stars in general. Just like I had a lot of sympathies for great on-ball perimeter defenders in 05 when the league changed the hand-check rules. It's just a massive change overnight. Guys have ingrained actions in them based on what the rules rewarded. Was Derek Harper not supposed to put his hand on you and just utterly deny you penetration if they let him? Is Harden not supposed to get you leaning and initiate contact knowing his team gets 2 FT's?

Doesn't really matter if its a good rule change or not. I'm a fan of it myself. But its a major adjustment for these guys the league has built itself around for the past decade. And refs are struggling too which just leads to more frustration.

Because the refs are so sensitive to not give players the old fouls, they are letting a lot of legit fouls go. And stars are like all of us. We don't remember the times we benefit from a bad call, but we damn sure remember when we get screwed.

I got no issues with Dame being frustrated and saying something. Doesn't matter if he's "right". Getting it off his chest probably helps him move forward and we know how this game works, almost certainly will get him a few more calls moving forward.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Yet when PG regularly has 0-2 FT games despite slashing all game it’s not an issue for him. It’s hilarious seeing guys that normally get plenty of calls pouting instead of guys like PG, Curry, Lebron that get hacked all day and DONT get whistles. It’s these little floppy guards like Lillard/Harden/Trae apparently being targeted.

[danvato]

The rule change saved the game. Will still take awhile to get some of the fans back. Harden now gets 4 free throws a game instead of 12.

Harden is currently getting 4.6 vs 7.3 he got last year before any new rules.

[trickshot]

Lebron fans; The idea that the 90's were more physical is a joke and James could score as well anywhere
NBA; Smallest rule interpretation change ever.
Lebron Fans; WHY IS IT SO PHYSICAL!

How'd you fit Lebron in here lmao?

It's lazy takes. Many people don't even know what the new rules are. Now we're going to blame any shift in any statistical category on new rules, even the ones that have nothing to do with shot creation.

As for Lebron haven't actually him struggle with the new rules. He only got 5-6 FTAs a game last year so he wasn't eating much under the old rules either.

[Johnny Bball]

Lebron fans; The idea that the 90's were more physical is a joke and James could score as well anywhere
NBA; Smallest rule interpretation change ever.
Lebron Fans; WHY IS IT SO PHYSICAL!

How'd you fit Lebron in here lmao?

It's lazy takes. Many people don't even know what the new rules are. Now we're going to blame any shift in any statistical category on new rules, even the ones that have nothing to do with shot creation.

As for Lebron haven't actually him struggle with the new rules. He only got 5-6 FTAs a game last year so he wasn't eating much under the old rules either.

Or you could read my next post and watch the video on the front page instead of being.... lazy.

[JonFromVA]

This is no minor rule change if the league has basically stopped granting "superstar calls".

[celticfan42487]

It's almost like how we've been saying they're taking strength out of the game and that changes everything and you can't say older generations can not play because they literatlly have removed the entire equation of strength from the game has some application.

Look at how much these midgets are struggling just because they can't fart to get to the free throw line. Imagine if hand checking was still allowed.

[SupaManu]

He misses doing all of this garbage to give him extra points.

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Wow that was disgusting to watch, so many horrendous calls

[trickshot]

How'd you fit Lebron in here lmao?

It's lazy takes. Many people don't even know what the new rules are. Now we're going to blame any shift in any statistical category on new rules, even the ones that have nothing to do with shot creation.

As for Lebron haven't actually him struggle with the new rules. He only got 5-6 FTAs a game last year so he wasn't eating much under the old rules either.

Or you could read my next post and watch the video on the front page instead of being.... lazy.

I did read it and saw the video and the post still stands. Adopting the bballbreakdown's prediction on how the rules would affect him was where the laziness from the take was because it wasn't accurate. Compared to lethargic starts to previous seasons he has looked the same guy this season. He wasn't actually getting the benefit of the whistle under the old rules either and is actually coming off a 2 season career low in freethrows attempted.

A lower usage has also seen some of his counting stats down and seems to be transitioning to be even more reliant on jumpshooting but when he has put his head down to get to the basket he has been the same tenacious finisher. The notion he would struggle was more wishful thinking on bballbreakdown's Coach Nick's part. I actually think if pushoffs are allowed both ways it's going to make him OP because he's going to be stronger than 99% of the opposing number.

[PD28]

Surprised he believes it affects him this much. There are so many other stars that I would've assumed would be the ones to make this statement.

I think his frustration is more on drives. Most of the rules modified seem to be focused more on the perimeter, but if you watch the games, he is complaining to the refs most after he makes a drive to the rim. But as I said in a previous post, I think this is just overall frustration. Since he is missing his threes, he is trying to make plays at the rim instead, and missing a layup that he thinks he got fouled on is harder for him to move on from than usual because of the overall frustration. Kind of like "If I can't make a three, then you better call the fouls I get on a drive." Right now, Dame is mostly impacting the game as a distributor, which is not the game that we or he are used to.

Ahh fair enough. I feel like lots of stars are struggling right now and the law of averages means he'll be back to normal sooner rather than later.

[BenoUdrihFTL]

He misses doing all of this garbage to give him extra points.

Spoiler:

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Lmfao wow

_amian needs to stfu and go write a corny song about his struggles with the new rules

[Chessboxer]

Lillard should have just kept his mouth shut. He’s been successful throughout his career manipulating the media and fans with his victim mentality, however he shot himself in the foot this time.

People attributed his lacklustre play to his situation in Portland, now it will be directed towards his adaptation to the new rules or lack there of. Real superstars like Steph/KD/Giannis etc are not complaining and thriving, and the new rules are popular. His “woe is me” mentality just makes him look bad here.