Travel? Push-Off? Who cares? The NBA’s referee circus strikes again

Accountability? We don’t need no stinkin’ accountability.

If you missed yesterday’s Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game, count yourself fortunate. It served as a stark reminder that no matter how well a team performs, the outcome can ultimately hinge on how the officials perceive critical moments. The golden rule of basketball is never let the game rest in the hands of the referees. Unfortunately for the Suns, that’s exactly where they found themselves on Sunday.

Entering the fourth quarter with a 91-86 lead after controlling most of the game, Phoenix faltered down the stretch, allowing Minnesota to wrestle the advantage away. Credit the Timberwolves for their tenacity and refusal to back down. At the same time, the Suns bear responsibility for their inability to hold the lead. Despite having three opportunities on their final possession to reclaim it — and potentially secure the win — Phoenix fell short when it mattered most. They lost 120-117.

But still, the game should have gone to OT, right?

On the final possession, with the game tied at 117-117, the ball was inbounded to Julius Randle with 2.7 seconds remaining. Driving to his right, Randle appeared to push off Josh Okogie before sinking the game-winning three-pointer. His feet shuffled. Was it a blatant offesnive foul? Did he get away with the push-off? A travel perhaps? Should this game have gone into overtime instead?

Nope. No review. No attempt to get it right. Just a buzzer and an ‘L’ for the Suns. The Suns had no challenges left, so that’s ball game.

This afternoon, the NBA released its “Last Two-Minute Report,” their way of promoting transparency by reviewing the officiating in the final moments of every game. In this particular case, the report concluded that Julius Randle did not commit a push-off. However, it also acknowledged that he did, in fact, travel.

So yeah, technically, the Suns got screwed. But again, they screwed themselves by not having a challenge at their disposal. That’s the game. Let’s move on.

Well, I’m not moving on! Why couldn’t the damn officials just get it right? Or if they thought there was an offensive fouls or travel, take a second and try to get it right? Isn’t that the gig? TO. GET. IT. RIGHT?!

There’s a sense of accountability missing when these situations arise. The NBA lays it out plainly, admitting they made a mistake, but it doesn’t change the outcome. Wins and losses aren’t rewritten.

The NBA’s “last two-minute report” is basically their way of saying, “Oops, guess we missed that one.” They might claim it shows accountability, tracking how officials perform in crunch time and using those evaluations to decide who gets the big assignments—like playoff games. But let’s be real: it feels like a farce.

I’m no expert on what accountability should look like for NBA officials, but I can confidently say this isn’t it. In most industries, mistakes come with consequences. When errors are documented, there are coaching, counseling, and personal improvement plans. Repeat offenders might even lose their jobs. Accountability isn’t just admitting fault; it’s ensuring steps are taken to prevent the same mistakes from happening again.

I get it. Being an NBA official is an incredibly challenging job. Real-time decision-making with the world watching isn’t easy, and I don’t envy them for a second. But at the same time, this is the career path they chose. And in moments like last night, when mechanisms exist specifically to review critical plays, there’s no excuse for not getting it right. These tools are there to preserve the integrity of the game, yet they went unused.

The NBA wonders why viewership is down. It’s not just about streaming options or shortened attention spans, it’s the frustration of watching human error dictate the outcome of games, even when technology could correct it. Fans see the subjectivity creeping in and the refusal to utilize tools designed to remove doubt, and it’s maddening.

Sure, a Sunday afternoon loss for the Suns in November might not seem like much. But when April comes and playoff seeding is on the line, that one game could mean everything. It could be the difference between home-court advantage and starting a series on the road.

And why? Because an official didn’t take a moment to review the play. A quick look might have confirmed the travel, a push-off, or something else that altered the game’s outcome. Maybe Karl Lane had one eye on the clock, eager to catch the Bills and Chiefs game instead of ensuring the right call was made. Who knows?

I’m no authority on officiating reform, but the fact that these last two-minute reports repeatedly admit to game-altering mistakes is a glaring problem. The NBA needs to stop looking for external explanations for declining viewership and start addressing the flaws in its product. Time and again, critical errors are revealed in these reports, and fans are left feeling like the system is rigged against fairness. That’s not a recipe for trust or for growth.