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The 2023 NBA Finals are underway, with Denver Nuggets protecting homecourt in Game 1 with a 104-93 win. Nikola Jokic bagged a triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists) in his finals debut, while Jamal Murray bagged 26 points and 10 assists to guide the Nuggets to a dominant win.
The Nuggets led by 24 points at one stage before the Heat went on a run to trim that lead to nine. However, they ran out of steam and couldn't overturn the deficit. Game 1 surprisingly didn't bring any officiating controversy to light despite the Heat only taking a measly two free-throw attempts all game.
Previously this season, teams and players have publicly complained about free throw disparities. Some even premeditate the result of the games depending on the refereeing assignments. That wasn't the case in Thursday's Game 1, but it's difficult to rule that out going forward.
The NBA has selected 12 of their best officials for this series to ensure that crucial decisions are made efficiently in the championship round. The selection criteria have been based on their efficiency and performance in the previous rounds of the playoffs. As Byron Spurrell, NBA President, League Operations, mentioned:
"The pinnacle for an NBA official is to work the NBA Finals. This group has demonstrated through their outstanding work during the playoffs that they are worthy of being selected to officiate in the NBA Finals."
The 2023 NBA Finals referee crew features Scott Foster, Tony Brothers, Marc Davis, Zach Zarba, Ed Malloy, John Goble, David Guthrie, Bill Kennedy, Josh Triven, James Williams, Kevin Scott and Courtney Kirkland. Tyler Ford and Ben Taylor have been listed as the alternates.
Foster is the most experienced official among this crew with 23 NBA Finals appearances, followed by Davis (18) and Brothers (15). Meanwhile, Scott will debut as an official in the finals.
The series tipped off with Marc Davis, David Guthrie and Ed Malloy as the officials for Game 1. The NBA announces the assignments for each contest at 9 a.m. ET on the morning of the game.
The 2023 NBA Finals teams have posted near identical stats for free-throw attempts and fouls per game
The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat have received similar treatment from the referees in the playoffs. Both teams have near-identical stats for free-throw attempts (FTA) and fouls per game. The Nuggets have averaged 21.8 FTAs, while the Heat have made 20.0 FTAs per game.
Denver averages 19.7 fouls, while Miami is at 19.9. The Nuggets are slightly better at drawing fouls, though. They have drawn 21.0 fouls per contest, while the Heat are at 18.9. Denver could be at an advantage in this area. They have more size and length than the Heat.
The Nuggets also do a stellar job of attacking the rim, with nearly all their players boasting the potential to drive the ball.
