No. 2: Will refs call a fair Memphis Grizzlies vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 5?
The rate in which the referees have been calling fouls in this series has been atrocious. Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian pointed out the league average for fouls called in a game this season was 39.3. Through four games in this series, the referees are calling an average of 52.5.
In Game 4 alone, Minnesota got to the free-throw line 40 times. Memphis was at the stripe just 25 times.
The egregious nature in which the officials have been calling this series reached a boiling point after Game 4. Grizzlies Head Coach Taylor Jenkins ripped the referees to shreds in his post-game comments.
It resulted in him being fined $15,000 by the league a couple of days later. Will the scolding pay off in Game 5?
That’s the hope for Grizzlies fans; but, there are of course, no guarantees. It certainly didn’t hurt for him to make those comments. Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant were also critical of the officiating in their post-game comments as well.