NBA commissioner says league disciplines officials for missed calls weeks after LeBron James no-call

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NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the league does discipline its officials for missed calls, they just don’t make it known to the public. 

Silver’s comments come a few weeks after referees admitted a foul should have been called on Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics for his move against LeBron James at the end of regulation. 

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts during the Celtics game at TD Garden in Boston on Jan. 28, 2023. (Paul Rutherford-USA Today Sports)

"First of all, they are absolutely held accountable. We don't publicize discipline for officials. We don't think that will be appropriate," Silver said Thursday on ESPN. "But their assignments are affected by the quality of their calls, whether or not they progress into the playoffs and then round by round, is impacted by the accuracy of their calls and their demeanor on the floor. So, there is a system for overseeing and making those judgments about officials. But more to your earlier point about getting the calls right, that's again not a new issue."

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On Jan. 28, James drove to the hoop for the game-winning layup with four seconds left, and the score tied 105-105. 

James could not convert, with the replay clearly showing Tatum fouling James on the arm. 

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James reacts after missing a shot against the Celtics on Jan. 28, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

The referees did not call the foul, sending James into a rage and the game into overtime, where the Lakers lost, 125-121. 

The next day, the National Basketball Referees Association released a statement admitting to the blown call. 

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"Like everyone else, referees make mistakes," they said in a tweet. "We made one at the end of last night’s game and that is gut-wrenching for us. This play will weigh heavily and cause sleepless nights as we strive to be the best referees we can be."

Silver addressed the no-call when speaking with ESPN, saying that the play could not have gone to replay. 

Failure to call a foul upset Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James during the Celtics game on Jan. 28 in Boston. (Paul Rutherford-USA Today Sports)

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"I know some people in that particular call you mentioned in that Celtics-Lakers game were upset that there was no opportunity for replay," Silver said. "Many people focused on the coach not having another challenge. But remember in our league, you can't challenge a non-call. And there's a lot of difficulty there when you get into non-call. You could suggest every moment of a game is a non-call when a call isn't being made in a way."