Why the NBA Never Uses the Same Refs Twice in a Playoff Series

Chip Clark breaks down exactly why the NBA rotates officiating crews throughout a playoff series, and it comes down to one phrase: familiarity breeds contempt.⁣
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Brunson was visibly frustrated with Scott Foster all night, but when I broke it down, he really only had a right to be upset about one play. The jersey grab in the lane was real, but Mitchell Robinson also ran through Cornett like an NFL blocker to clear that space. No offensive foul called either. It's a wash.⁣
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The other play where he tweaked his ankle? He chose to land that way. Vasella's arm was there but it wasn't a clear out. His foot got tangled with Cornett on the way down. That's not a foul.⁣
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And the way Scott Foster handled Brunson coming at him? Brunson says "Scott, that IS a foul." Foster just goes... "okay." And walks away. Perfect. Nothing else needed to be said.⁣
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The fact that Brunson was still talking to Foster after the game tells you everything about how these things snowball when you see the same crew every night. #shorts