In Reply to: I get your point about saving it for later but … posted by mikeo on February 04, 2025 at 13:31:16
I see the dichotomy there. You want them to come out strong and set the tone, but at the same time, the refs are trying to establish their own standards. Early on, we need to be cautious with that specific move. It seems like as the game progresses, refs allow more physicality—a defensive bump to the lower body with the arm usually isn’t called unless it really disrupts the offensive player. Early in the game, though, the calls tend to be a bit more strict. There's a balance. I just hate to see those two guys in particular sitting after early fouls.