Buzzmaster

  (4:28 PM)

Steve is here!

Chris (Denver)

I know you probably don't want to criticise your fellow refs, but has there been a call in the Finals so far that you would deem a bad call?

Steve Javie

  (4:31 PM)

There hasn't been any bad calls, there have been calls that could have been made if the angle was the same angle as the camera. It wasn't a bad call, it was just he didn't have the proper angle. Like in Game 2 with Durant and James. Everything we talk about is in real time.

Dave (NJ)

Who's the hardest player to watch in this Finals series?

Steve Javie

  (4:32 PM)

Good question. I think Miami's team has been difficult in terms of how they attack the basket. It puts pressure on the officials under the basket to make the call or not make the call.

Sammy (Boston)

I've always had a practical question related to officials. You guys are on the road as much, or moreso than the players, because you don't really have "home games." How is the travel taken care of? I'm guessing you're not on chartered flights like the players, right?

Steve Javie

  (4:33 PM)

Correct. It's all commercial. Players have 41 home games, we have maybe one or two. I was from Philly and maybe had one or two Philly games.

Dave (RI)

What's the biggest misperception about referees?

Steve Javie

  (4:34 PM)

The fact that there is a star treatment and makeup calls. All we're trying to do is get plays right regardless of who it is and the time of the game. We're evaluated on that.

Alex (FL)

Do refs go to seminars or are there ref coaches taht you guys go to? How do you get better?

Steve Javie

  (4:35 PM)

There are referee camps that young referees go to in the offseason. There are veteran refs that are instructors at these camps to help them get better each year.

Evan (Seattle)

I know you probably heard a lot of criticism during your career, what did you think of it? Too harsh? About right?

Steve Javie

  (4:36 PM)

Criticism from fans is fine because they want their teams to win. That's a part of the job. Criticism from the media at times is unfair because they don't know our job.

Drom John (Macon, Ga)

If the anti-flop penalties arrives, then isn't the most likely result a lot of injuries?

Steve Javie

  (4:37 PM)

I think there is too much of flopping. I believe the league will handle it this offseason which will be better viewing this offseason.

Will (San Francisco)

Now taht you're out of the game, I am sure you probably still have friends that are officials, but what do you think about the overall state of officiating?

Steve Javie

  (4:39 PM)

I think like anything else it gets better every year. With technology and the training. It's just that they seem to show all of our mistakes instead of the plays we get right.

Deven (New York)

How would you grade the officiating in this year's playoffs and the Finals?

Steve Javie

  (4:41 PM)

I would give them an A. They've been very good. Not to say they've been perfect, but they've been very good and consistent.

Derrick (Chicago)

What's the hardest call to make?

Steve Javie

  (4:41 PM)

With the restricted area now, the block charge is the hardest, followed by out of bounds and goaltending.

Dave (NJ)

How were you able to stay so long in a profession where everyone only wants to chastize the work you do?

Steve Javie

  (4:43 PM)

That's a great question. It's the challenge of the profession to try to be perfect when you know you cant. The challenge to get the most calls right night in night out. That's why there are only 60 that can do it. It's the continuing challenge to be as good as you can possibly be.

Tim (Chi)

Who was the hardest player to officiate? How was officiating Jordan?

Steve Javie

  (4:44 PM)

The two hardest players in my career were the biggest and the smallest, Shaq and Iverson. O'Neal was so strong and Iverson would throw his body into people. They were hard to referee.

Steve Javie

  (4:45 PM)

With Jordan, he wasn't that difficult, because he didn't go to contact, he avoided contact. He was always professional to the referees.

Steve (DC)

How important is positioning for a ref?

Steve Javie

  (4:45 PM)

It's the most important thing. It's a game of angles. Getting the proper angle so you can see between the offensive and defensive player.

Doug (Cincy)

What rule changes do you think could help make the game easier to call for refs?

Steve Javie

  (4:46 PM)

I think expanding the instant replay rule a little bit in certain areas and making sure not to put a new flopping rule on us.

Kevin (LA)

As a ref, you get a lot of criticism. How are you able to deal with it?

Steve Javie

  (4:47 PM)

I handle criticism by saying that people who are criticising don't know my job or profession. Just like I don't know your job or profession.

Em (Portland)

Do you think it would be good to change the block/charge rules so that defenders would be discouraged from jumping in front of the guy with the ball so that he can get a call instead of guarding him?

Steve Javie

  (4:49 PM)

Yes and that's what the restricted area is there for. If you expanded the area, maybe that could help also.

gene (philadelphia)

What's the most important quality of a referee who advances to the NBA finals?

Steve Javie

  (4:49 PM)

That they can totally concentrate for 48 minutes and not worry about the stage that they're on.

Freddy (Miami)

What's the best call you've seen in the Finals so far?

Steve Javie

  (4:50 PM)

In Game 2, the blocking foul on Battier that could have been Durant's sixth foul. Replays showed Battier didn't get there in time. In real time, it was a really difficult call, but replays showed the officials got it right.

Deven (New York)

What's required to be an NBA official?

Steve Javie

  (4:51 PM)

You should have experience refereeing at least Division I college and/or in the NBDL before getting into the NBA.

George (Chicago)

Hey Steve, I happen to know Danny Crawford personally... Is he one of the best in the business?

Steve Javie

  (4:52 PM)

Yes and he always has been. And a class act too.

Steve Javie

  (4:52 PM)

What referees think about most of the time is not what other people think about, the stars and homecourt. We just think about getting as many plays right as possible. The crews want to get as many plays right in each game.