The NBA expanded the use of instant replay to allow referees to review all player altercations and severe flagrant fouls for this upcoming season. The changes were recommended by the league's competition committee and approved by its board of governors last week.
Officials will be able to use replay after an altercation to ensure that they didn't miss any punches thrown or other unsportsmanlike acts committed that might call for an ejection. The replay will also assist in determining the instigators of fights and in sorting out penalties after the referees have ended the dispute.
"Officials' first priority should be ending the altercation and . . . in the course of doing so, they might not see a punch or other unsportsmanlike act committed by a player that might call for ejection," the league said in a statement.
The competition committee also felt that it was appropriate for officials to view replays on the most severe type of flagrant foul -- known as a penalty two -- because they result in an automatic ejection. Referees had been limited to using instant replay to review last-second shots taken at the end of quarters.
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