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Come Fan with UsTuesday, August 4, 2026

Having more meetings didn’t solve the NBA referee crisis? Wow.

We have that and more in Monday’s NBA newsletter.

NBA: Dallas Mavericks at Toronto Raptors
NBA: Dallas Mavericks at Toronto Raptors
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

As things reached a boiling point between players, coaches, and referees earlier this season, the NBA announced a five-point plan to address the issue. That plan was basically to have more meetings. Such plans are always terrible, as it goes.

And — Lo! — nothing has really changed. On Saturday, Alvin Gentry lit up the referees over an extraordinarily soft call on a critical play and also a general lack of respect for Anthony Davis from the crews. That same night Stan Van Gundy went in on the crew that worked Pistons-Blazers, asking why they are even out there if they miss so many calls.

On Sunday, Marc Davis — a longtime vet, as it were — ejected three Raptors in the final 10 seconds of Toronto’s loss to Oklahoma City in an apparent attempt to send a message. It turns out one of the technicals assessed on Dwane Casey was apparently for something a fan yelled at the referees.

Meanwhile, the refs union and the league’s officiating department are beefing on Twitter over Last 2 Minute reports. Meetings, huh?

Playoff Picture Update

The Clippers ran into a really tough part of their schedule. The Nuggets ran into ... the Memphis Grizzlies. Ouch.

Scores Galore ...

OKC 132, TOR 125
BOS 89, NOP 108
HOU 129, MIN 120
POR 122, LAC 109

... And So Much More

Congratulations to the Memphis Grizzlies for winning this weekend for the first time since Jan. 29. We have lots of jokes about tanking, especially this year. But you could tell over the past week or so this massive losing streak was weighing heavily on Memphis, and the team hasn’t done much to make themselves worse. If the win over Denver made life a little lighter for those guys, it was well worth it.

Paul Flannery went to Portland to find out if the Blazers — again, they have won 13 straight games! — are real.

Now Kevin Durant is out a couple weeks. He joins Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the shelf. Speaking of the Warriors, Whitney Medworth gave a full appreciation of Curry’s birthday party as only a charter member of Paramore Hive could.

A celebrity news outlet reported that Glen Davis had been arrested. Big Baby refuted the report in, uh, an interesting fashion. Cash and Popeye’s were involved.

Need to catch up on an absolutely ludicrous opening weekend of March Madness?

Be excellent to each other.

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