The Los Angeles Clippers Chris Paul was unhappy with the wayLauren Holtkamp,one of two current full-time female officials in the NBA, called Thursday nights game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Paul was assessed one of five technical fouls called against Los Angeles during the game.
The tech that I get right there was ridiculous. I dont care what nobody says, I dont care what she says; thats terrible, Paul said after the game. Theres no way that can be a tech. We try to get the ball out fast every time down the court, and when we did that, she said, Uh-uh. I said, Why, uh-uh? And she gave me a tech. Thats ridiculous. If thats the case, this might not be for her.
Holtkamp has officiated 29 games and isnt prone to callingtechnicalfouls. According to data compiled bynbastuffer, she averages just 0.2 technicals on the road team and 0.3 on the home team. And those fouls account for just 1.2 percent of all the fouls called when she is part of the crew working the game. That ranks 21st out of the 39 officials with at least 20 games under their belt this season.
The Clippers, on the other hand, are constantly in foul trouble. Before Thursday nights controversy, the Clippers averaged the second-most technical fouls in the NBA(0.7) behind the Phoenix Suns (0.8). As of Friday, they lead the league.
And this isnt just something that has manifested itself this season: The Clippers have led the league in total technical foulsin two of the previous three seasons:
- 80 in 2013-14, tied for second most
- 101 in 2012-13, led NBA
- 88 in 2011-12, led NBA
Not surprisingly, the NBA Referees Association stands behind Holtkamp.
As it should, because the problem appears to be with theClippers getting technicals, not with howHoltkamp calls them.
Neil Greenberg analyzes advanced sports statistics for the Fancy Stats blog and prefers to be called a geek rather than a nerd.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2015/02/06/chris-pauls-criticism-of-nba-referee-lauren-holtkamp-is-unfounded/
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