Transcript: NBA Referees Ken Mauer and Tony Brothers Comment to Pool Reporter after Game 1 of 2018 NBA Finals

May 31, 2018

Pool Reporter Transcript

NBA Referees Ken Mauer and Tony Brothers

Postgame – Cleveland at Golden State – May 31, 2018

NBA referees Ken Mauer (Crew Chief) and Tony Brothers met with pool reporter Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press after Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors tonight in Oakland, Calif. Here is the transcript of that interview:

Q: Can you explain what you saw on the replay that went into the overturn of the block/charge involving LeBron [James] and KD [Kevin Durant]?

Mauer: “The reason for the trigger is that we had doubt as to whether or not James was in the restricted area. When over at the table, we then are allowed to determine whether or not he was in a legal guarding position. It was determined he was out of the restricted area, but he was not in a legal guarding position prior to Durant’s separate shooting motion. So we had to change it to a blocking foul.”

Q: What did Tristan Thompson do to merit the flagrant [foul]?

Brothers: “From the angle that I had on the floor, as he is coming toward [Shaun] Livingston, his elbow is up high and it appears he hits him in the head when he is coming toward him. So that’s why I called the foul and ejected him.”