Rocky Roads for the Refs?

This years NBA season will definitely not go down in history as smooth, as no team can seem to find any consistency in their play and tension between players and referees continues to grow. Now, smooth sailing through 82 games would be anything next to a miracle, but as a fan or any frequent NBA viewer you can see that the frustration between players. This year’s officials have reached an unusual level to the point wheres there's actual beef.

There isn't any statistical evidence of refs being out for players. This season is on pace to tie the average amount of technicals called per year, but a lot of players have been vocal in their displeasure with this year’s referees: Lebron James, Russell Westbrook and James Harden to headline a few.

"There's no reason I should be going to the line four times in a game when I drive 100 times to the paint and I'm getting hit and slapped and grabbed and whatever and what not," Lebron James said Sunday to Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon.

Lebron’s teammate Tristan Thompson also weighed in on the conversation.

"He attacks the rim a lot so it's up to the ref. It's on them to make the calls.... Just because he’s bigger and stronger than everyone doesn't make it not a foul."

The league has taken note of the tension and set up a meeting between the Players Association and the Referees Association this past All-Star Break to hash out the problems. After the meeting, both sides reported that progress had been made, but with this complaint coming from the King just this past Sunday have thing digressed? Will the Finals be determined by the refs?

Nazim Trammell-Wells