HoopsHype.com Rumors

Jason Jones: DMC said ref Violet Palmer apologized for tech she called. DMC hopeful it gets rescinded, won't know until tomorrow. Twitter @mr_jasonjones

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins, Referees, Violet Palmer 

The 5-foot-9 Robinson must have known that a jump ball with 6-foot-9 Raptors forward Rudy Gay was a lost cause. So he didn't even try to contest. Instead, he ran behind Gay after the referee threw the ball into the air, caught Gay's tip, and took a shot. Pretty genius, right? Well, no. The problem with Robinson's plan is that the NBA's rulebook forbids either player participating in a jump ball from leaving the circle until after the ball is tapped. It also states that one of the eight other players on the court must touch the ball before either jumper is allowed to again. If you didn't know that was a rule, it's probably because you can't remember a time when it's ever had to be enforced. You're not alone. So thanks for that, Nate. USA Today Sports

Chicago Bulls, Nate Robinson, Referees 

Roger Mason: RIP to @nba referee Greg Willard. Prayers out to his family and friends. #nbafamily Twitter @MoneyMase

New Orleans Pelicans, Roger Mason, Referees, Greg Willard 

It was a Gibson foul with 2:37 left in the first quarter that was upgraded, and the upgrade was met with surprise in the Bulls' locker room Sunday night after their win over the Detroit Pistons. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported the upgrade Saturday. "I really can't dwell on it," Gibson said. "It's part of the game. I'll have to just keep moving forward. "That game is behind us now. Just focus on getting wins. Like I said before, I didn't try and hurt him. I think he's a great player, I just tried to make a good foul without trying to hurt anybody, but sometimes it goes that way. But by all means I'm not a dirty player, nor is Kirk, but we'll have to wait until we see him again." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson, Referees 

"I don't even remember what happened," Gibson said. "I just tried to make a play, and I guess it was a foul. But hey, it's going to happen. I don't remember it, but the NBA is doing their job and trying to correct things. I can't be mad at that. I'm going to have to keep pushing and moving on and get ready for the next time we play them, I guess." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Taj Gibson, Referees 

Larry Sanders has had his share of incidents with officials this season, but even his harshest critics would agree this one wasn’t his fault. In the opening seconds of Milwaukee’s 131-102 blowout home win over Charlotte on Monday, Sanders decked referee Bill Kennedy with a right elbow to the face as he came down from winning the opening tip. Kennedy fell backwards onto his back and stumbled trying to get back up, holding his head in pain. The game was briefly delayed but Kennedy, a 15-year veteran, was able to continue. SI.com

Milwaukee Bucks, Larry Sanders, Referees 

LeBron James: RIP to one of our NBA refs Greg Willard due to cancer! Prayers goes out to his family and friends #NBAFamily Twitter @KingJames

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Referees, Greg Willard 

Cole Aldrich: So sad to hear about Greg Willard. RIP to a great referee. Twitter @colea45

Sacramento Kings, Cole Aldrich, Referees, Greg Willard 

Saw referee Bill Spooner in Detroit last Friday for the first time in a long time and when we were catching up before the game, he mentioned that former ref Greg Willard was having a terrible time fighting pancreatic cancer that hit him last year. I got to know Greg just a little bit over the years in various Marriott concierge lounges and he was a very nice man and a fine referee. That’s what made it hard last night when I got news that he’d passed away; six months younger than I am and a terrible, terrible loss. Toronto Star

Referees, Greg Willard, Bill Spooner 

Apparently LeBron James' words resonated as reasoned logic, after all. The NBA confirmed to the Sun Sentinel on Saturday that one of the hard fouls during Wednesday's Miami Heat loss to the Chicago Bulls at the United Center has been upgraded to a flagrant foul. The play in question, a shooting foul on Chicago power forward Taj Gibson against James, came with 2:37 remaining in the first quarter of what turned into a 101-97 loss that ended the Heat's 27-game winning streak, six victories shy of the NBA-record winning streak of the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Taj Gibson, Referees 

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant should have been called for a foul on Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio on the final play of the Lakers' 120-117 victory Wednesday, the NBA announced Thursday. "Video review by the league office confirmed that Kobe Bryant fouled Rubio while Rubio was in his shooting motion. Rubio should have been awarded three free throws," the league said on its website. USA Today Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Kobe Bryant, Ricky Rubio, Referees 

That call didn’t effect the game too much (the Bulls scored 1 point on the ensuing free throws plus possession). After the game, Dwyane Wade talked about his teammate’s reaction. “I’m surprised he hasn’t done it before,” Wade said. “A big guy like (James), no one really wants to see him start trying to inflict pain on other people. He plays the game the right way and it’s unfortunate. He gets reffed like a guy that was in this Miami Heat jersey before, Shaquille O’Neal. ”It’s tough, but that’s why he is who he is. You’ve got to deal with it. Tonight, he decided to get back a little bit. I didn’t think it was that bad, but he got called for it.” Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Referees 

The NBA has retroactively assessed Golden State Warriors forward David Lee a flagrant foul 1 for his hit to the face of Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard, according to a Lakers spokesman. Howard said it was too little, too late following the Lakers' 120-117 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. "I don't really care," Howard said. "It's late now. There's nothing we can do about it." ESPN.com

Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight Howard, David Lee, Referees 

The Bulls trailed the Nuggets 119-118 with the clock winding down in overtime. Marco Belinelli's basebline shot came up short, but Noah was there to tip in the miss and give Chicago a one-point lead. However, the officials gathered, consulted video of the play and declared Noah was guilty of offensive interference. Needless to say, Thibodeau was not happy with the ruling. He shouted at officials Kevin Fehr, Ken Mauer and Kane Fitzgerald and had to be restrained by an assistant and eventually by forward Luol Deng. USA Today Sports

Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Tom Thibodeau, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Marco Belinelli, Referees 

After two tough calls that sealed Monday night's emotional 119-118 overtime loss to the Nuggets, the Bulls will make one more on Tuesday. "I guess we have to call the league to get an interpretation," an angry coach Tom Thibodeau said. The dispute centered on two calls in the final 46.4 seconds, both of which went against the Bulls. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Tom Thibodeau, Referees 

Noah, using two expletives, said officials called "basket" on the floor. "It's very disappointing," Noah said. "You play the game so hard. I just don't understand how you can review my tip-in, but two plays before that, you can't review the other one? There has to be consistency. The refs are doing the best they can. But it cost us the game." Added Carlos Boozer: "They counted the bucket, put the points up on the board. We're obviously excited and celebrating. Their bench started screaming to review and (officials) reviewed and took it away." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Joakim Noah, Referees 

Bucks center Larry Sanders was issued a hefty $50,000 fine for using a derogatory and offensive term and publicly criticizing officials, the NBA announced Sunday. Sanders was ejected with 2 minutes 44 seconds left in the Bucks' 107-94 loss to Miami on Friday. He "directed a derogatory and offensive term" to the officials and was ejected, according to a statement from Stu Jackson, NBA executive vice president of basketball operations. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Larry Sanders, Referees 

The fine also related to public criticism of officials. "I can imagine it's hard for a referee to ref a Miami Heat game," Sanders said in his post-game comments. "It's hard for me to take that sometimes. I feel like things are kind of swayed. Maybe (I should) care a little less." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Larry Sanders, Referees 

Chris Vivlamore: Dahntay Jones on NBA video review: "That stuff is out of my control. ... What they made is a judgment call and that is their job." #ATLHawks Twitter @ajchawks

Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Referees, Dahntay Jones 

Arash Markazi: Dahntay Jones tells @dpshow "I don't think we would be dealing with this at all if it were anybody except Kobe." Twitter @ArashMarkazi

Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Referees, Dahntay Jones