Upon further review, it was decided that the referees missed two calls late in the Cleveland Cavaliers Christmas day game against the Golden State Warrior. Richard Jefferson is not a fan of the “Last Two Minutes Reports.”
Following the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-108 win over the Golden State Warriors on Christmas day, it was decided that Richard Jefferson should have been called for a foul on the final play of the game and LeBron James should have been dealt a technical foul for hanging on the rim, per the league’s officiating report.
The “Last Two Minutes Report” (L2MR) calls for the league to provide play-by-play reports regarding all calls and material non-calls that occur in the last two minutes of close games. It was made to create a more specific protocol for commenting on the most scrutinized calls in NBA games.
Despite it’s good intentions, the L2MR that caused some controversy throughout the NBA.
According to Jason Llyod of the Akron Beacon Journal, Cavaliers small forward Richard Jefferson thinks the L2MR is not effective.
"“There’s a lot of things I could say. I’m on the positive end of it this time, so there’s no need to make a comment about it,” Jefferson told the Beacon Journal. “I think if you ask guys across the board if the replay and the Last 2 Minutes is effective, I don’t think it is. In the sense I think it puts the referees in a really bad spot. You’re critiquing them, you’re criticizing them for what they see in real time vs. a slow-motion action. It’s kind of like the generals who oversee the war, but aren’t in the war. I don’t think it’s good for basketball.”"
The official report states that Jefferson made “foot to foot contact” that affected Durant’s “speed, quickness, balance, and rhythm.” Although it was stated that the referees missed the call, there is no way to go back and change the outcome of the game, which is where Jefferson’s dissatisfaction stems from.
Both Durant and Jefferson have opposing view points on the play. Durant told reporters after the game that he did not fall on his own, while Jefferson stated that it looked as though Durant simply lost his balance.
According to Jefferson, the reports will only add fuel to the rivalry and make sure both teams try harder to prove a point in the next game. “All it actually does is cause more dissension,” Jefferson said. “So the next day guys are (angry) and it trickles down to the next set of games. It’s not good for basketball.”
More from Cavs News
- 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
- 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
- NBA Expert says Cavaliers backcourt just won’t work
- When does NBA Training Camp start? When do Cavaliers start?
- Prominent NBA agent says LeBron had a harder path than Jordan
Along with the final play of the game, it was also decided that LeBron James should have been given a technical foul for hanging on the rim. Those were the only two missed calls in the final two minutes of the game.
The missed tech came just minutes after Jefferson was handed a tech following a dunk over Durant in which he followed up with a friendly wink.
James has been vocal about the L2MR in the past. He believes it changes absolutely nothing, and it sends a bad message to the fans thinking the game is only won in the final two minutes. He also said a play in the first quarter is just as important as a play in the final four seconds, per Llyod.
Although players such as James and Jefferson, including Chicago Bulls shooting guard Dwyane Wade, have spoken out against the L2MR, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is a believer in the transparency that it provides.
Related Story: Russell Westbrook Denies Thanking Kyrie Irving
What do you think of the league’s Final Two Minutes Report? Do you think Richard Jefferson is right and they are not effective? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @KJG_NBA.