Ethermac|Charles Barkley, Shaq weigh in on NBA refereeing controversy, 'dumb' two-minute report

Officiating will always be Ethermaca topic of conversation during the NBA playoffs. The 2024 postseason has been no different, with the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers already voicing their displeasure two games into their opening-round series.

The Sixers, at least, have somewhat of a legitimate beef after the league released its Last Two-Minute Report acknowledging that two separate foul calls were missed during a crucial three-second span that sparked the New York Knicks' Game 2 victory.

Still, the outcome of the game won't change -- which left TNT's "Inside the NBA" analysts wondering Tuesday night why the league even makes those findings public.

"It's dumb," said Shaquille O'Neal.

"It serves no purpose," added Charles Barkley.

Kenny Smith pushed back and pointed out the need for transparency. "The league wants you to know that they do monitor referees after the fact," he said.

"You can make a mistake, but you can't make a vital mistake," O'Neal countered. "This is the playoffs."

However, Barkley suggested that the NBA should review the calls privately because "it just makes the officials look bad."

Though he had many confrontations with refs during his 16-year career, Sir Charles did stick up for them in general.

"I do think officials get a bad rap," Barkley said. "I don't think they deliberately try to make mistakes in any sport. But the thing I think is happening now that really (upsets me) is, of course you get it right when you're sitting at home and watch 25 replays ...

"The Sixers didn't lose that game because of that one call."

To which O'Neal replied succinctly, "Yeah, they did."

And thus, the debate continues.