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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in Los Angeles Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.
Whether it’s because of the fresh new faces or the fan-packed stadiums, the NBA Playoffs have been especially fun this year. However, that energy can be lost both in the stadium and at home when officials walk over to the table to look at a review.
Reviews aren’t new to the NBA, but they’ve seemed more prominent in the postseason this year. They’ve also felt more inconsistent, which has caused a sense of restlessness and frustration among fans, analysts and players alike.
According to the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, more than two-thirds of NBA fans still approve of the use of official replay reviews, however, more than three-fourths of those fans believe there needs to be a time limit placed on the official reviews so that the momentum of the game isn’t stopped in its tracks.
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We also floated the idea of a cap on the number of plays that can be reviewed in the final two minutes, but the fans that were polled were more split on that than they were a time limit.
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But it seems the main issue fans have with the replay process is the context that gets lost in it. According to our survey, most fans are in favor of officials being more lenient when it comes to calls — and if not lenient, more romantic, for lack of a better word.
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That’s not to say that fans are in favor of less consistency; it’s just that they want referees to lean on the same set of loose rules, especially in late-game situations. These might not be fix-all solutions, but it’s clear that the NBA needs to revisit its policies when it comes to reviews.
To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.