Referees + Instant Replay = Better Calls?

NBA referees will have two new reasons for instant replay in the 2007-08 season. Refs can now use instant replay to review fight situations and flagrant 2 fouls. The instant replays were approved back in late August, early September and should help make the referee job a bit easier. Now the refs can review a flagrant 2 foul, which is the more serious flagrant, and determine if ejecting a player in that situation is appropriate. There may be situations where a player simply took a bad fall on a layup and it appeared in the instant that the defender caused it. The instant replay will help prevent an unnecessary ejection.

The referees can also review fight situations in a game, to see if they made the proper decisions on players for unsportsmanlike action and to see if any punches were thrown in fights that they missed. This will help make or break players and their ejections and/or suspensions.

These two new instances of replay should help officials and players that much more. I'm sure most players want the replay there at least for the flagrant situation, because if it means the player has a chance to stay in the game, they'll take it. It may also help them avoid costly fines. Also, after the infamous Tim Donaghy betting scandal has rocked the NBA, you'd have to believe that David Stern wants to give his referees every chance possible to make the right calls in 2007-08.