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Par Mathieu Seguin | Rédacteur sport
The match between Minnesota and Oklahoma City was the talk of the town on Tuesday evening. The cause? The referees’ handling of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Some fans wondered why the officials were so lenient with Luka Doncic.
The conference finals have begun in the NBA, at least on the Western side, with a big Thunder victory over the Wolves on Tuesday night. And in this game, there was a lot of talk about the refereeing, notably because of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Many people believe that the point guard has been favored by the officials.
It’s fair to say that this is a sensitive subject in the modern NBA. Do referees give preferential treatment to certain players? James Harden and Joel Embiid seem to have benefited from different refereeing over the years, while APG is benefiting today. The problem is that it annoys a lot of people.
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This is all the more true given that many times there doesn’t seem to be a foul on SGA, who looks for contact or collapses to the ground for nothing. Anthony Edwards threw the ball at him on Tuesday night, a sign of frustration. He took a technical foul, but the gesture spoke volumes. But the Wolves were prepared for just such a scenario.
Minnesota’s coach even had to issue a challenge after an imaginary foul by the point guard, who collapsed to the floor for no apparent reason. The officials blew the whistle in his favor, but Chris Finch had to intervene to get a slow-motion shot. The result? The referees had no choice but to reverse the whistle, but that’s a problem.
For others, it also raises questions about Luka Doncic.
@showtimeluka : “The refs allow Jaden McDaniels to guard Luka in the most physical manner possible. When he guards SGA he isn’t allowed to touch him. It’s like you’re watching a different defender due to officiating. Why the disparity? The reaction of all the Timberwolves players speaks volumes.”
Clearly, refereeing changes depending on the team, which obviously shouldn’t be normal. A major problem in the NBA and one that has been highlighted for years now. Doncic is not alone, but his fans are calling for changes as soon as possible. Game 2 will be closely watched.
