Lewis was born . When Does Big 3 Basketball Start? Just minutes after the game, referee crew chief Eric Lewis conceded that he and his team had made a mistake, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin: "There was contact," Lewis acknowledged. Some have even shown their displeasure with his refereeing in the Laker-Celtics game. It contained private team information and derogatory comments about players and media members. Eric Lewis has been an NBA referee for 19 seasons. Reports suggest that officials can receive a per-game bonus ranging from $800 to $5,000. 1 pick in 2023 NBA Draft? All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. One needn't dive too far down a Twitter rabbit hole to find photos of Lewis's family rocking Celtics gear and voicing their support of Boston sports on social media. The Sixers are 50-67. The sooner we make those strides as both a sports fanbase and betting public, the more enjoyable sports will be to watch and bet on. He said that Beverley's actions were "Inappropriate" when resenting to a no-call decision. Lewis has worked more than 1,200 games, counting both regular season and playoffs, in 19 seasons as an NBA referee. Lewis, who has worked six NBA Finals games since 2019 and was on the floor during the Western Conference Finals, is finishing up his 19th season as an NBA official. May 28: According to ESPN.com, the NBA has launched an investigation into Lewis after allegations that he was operating an anonymous Twitter account and commenting on officiating, which would be in violation of NBA rules. However, the Celtics went on to win the game after outscoring the Lakers 20-16. gettyimages ). In this case, the tweets were unique enough to raise some eyebrows. Eric Lewis NBA investigation, explained: What to know about NBA referee This could have simply been two work buds exchanging pleasantries, wishing each other "good luck" and talking about a game that just finished. Before joining the NBA, Lewis spent three seasons officiating in the NBA G League and two seasons in the USBL. Patrick Beverley could not believe his eyes when he saw how referee Eric Lewis had missed the call. If Austin Reaves is back quickly, the Lakers will have a full complement of players for the first time in a while. Whether fair or not, an account that vigorously defends NBA officiating and focuses on one referee while the rest of social media is largely slanted against officiating naturally sticks out. Shocking Facts About NBA Referee Eric Lewis Emerge Amid Huge LeBron James Controversy as Fans SlamAdamSilver, So apparently NBA Referee Eric Lewis, His Wife, and Kids are all huge Celtics fans. Is this honestly revolutionary data of any kind? If this is true, then there is a bit of risk for the official who may have favored the Celtics in the win against the Lakers. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically. He's on the road for days at a time. However, the Celtics are just 19-20 in postseason games officiated for Foster. Eric Lewis NBA Basketball Referee Record. Lewis would play his college ball at local Northeastern University under famed New England coaching legend Jim Calhoun and would be picked up with the 22nd overall selection in the 1987 NBA draft by the Celtics. Home Basketball NBA NBA Referee Who Missed Jayson Tatums Foul on LeBron James Is a Celtics Fan? LeBron and the Lakers have been on numerous ends of calls going against them. NBA free agency 2023: James Hardens possible destinations, NBA Stars missing FIBA World Cup: Victor Wembayana, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James. However, the Celtics rallied behind the efforts of Jaylen Brown and Malcolm Brogdon down the stretch. There was contact. That lead went up to 10 points at various points during the 3rd and 4th quarters as well. Wembanyanas rookie expectations as No. What does bench points mean in basketball? RUMOR: Did Eric Lewis, ref behind blown LeBron James call vs. Celtics Among these games, one notable matchup he officiated was between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Eric Lewis - 2022-2023 Betting Stats and Records | Covers LeBron James comments on NBA investigation into referee Eric Lewis He also addressed the technical foul given to Patrick Beverley, as his actions were inappropriate, said Lewis. Eric Lewis, the former Mainland and Bethune-Cookman basketball star, has been an NBA referee for nearly two decades now. Others including 76ers diehards and bettors, as well as fans of star Philly guard James Harden point to Foster's track record when officiating Harden games. Fans have started questioning the integrity of the referees officiating the game. That was the case for veteran official Eric Lewis entering his 19th season this year. NBA investigating ref Eric Lewis over alleged burner account (2:03), Sources: NBA investigating ref over alleged tweets, Pelinka: Busy West rivals won't sway Laker plans, Sources: Warriors' DiVincenzo declining option, Sources: Kings' Fernandez to lead Team Canada, Source: Heat guard Oladipo opts in for 2023-24, Sources: Pistons plan to pick up Burks' option, Sources: Hawks trading Collins to Jazz for Gay, Wemby to skip FIBAs to focus on rookie season, Wolves, center Reid agree on 3-year, $42M deal, NBA summer league 2023: News, schedule and scenes, Victor Wembanyama's jam-packed welcome week. He is a football enthusiast and loves reading and writing about NBA. No wonder Lakers got cheated. However, it is a topic for later, and nothing can be changed now. Lewis was one of the referees for the Celtics' Game 7 win . 1 pick. 2021-22 Boston Celtics Referee Summary | Basketball-Reference.com LeBron was left furious by referee Eric Lewis after failing to call a foul on him by Jayson Tatum. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. pic.twitter.com/o3Wo30stwl. Having an anonymous Twitter account isn't against NBA rules, but referees are not allowed to publicly comment on officiating without approval from the league. Lewis, who has worked six NBA Finals games since 2019 and was on the floor during the Western Conference Finals, is finishing up his 19th season as an NBA official. Now you can watch the entire NBA season or your favorite teams on streaming. NBA CONFERENCE FINALS. He worked two NBA Finals games in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Fans should stop looking for a reason to complain about sports, and start taking ownership of wins and losses both on NBA courts and in our betting logs. Pool Report on the Final Seconds of Regulation of Tonight's Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics. Eric Lewis & Scott Foster will be officiating today's Game 7 between the 76ers and Celtics. We did our best to find some answers for the Lakers star. Getty Images What do you think? Home Basketball NBA Shocking Facts About NBA Referee Eric Lewis Emerge Amid Huge LeBron James Controversy as Fans SlamAdamSilver, NBA Official Eric Lewis, Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (Credits- Sportstar, Getty Images, NBA.com). Him being a fan to some NBA team will only cloud his judgment and will shift his focus on getting favorable calls for preferred team. I think Eric Lewis should be a referee to some professional league other than NBA. A few celebrities have been in the headlines for using burner accounts, and it's not a surprise that many well-known figures would go that route. And they have come out to put this man on full blast. We can also point to the fact that the 76ers have been largely dominated by the Celtics, regardless of officiating crews. However, it didnt go in their favor, and ended up losing the game in OT. Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News. The ongoing controversy about the no-foul call on LeBron Jamesis heating up and other things are starting to come to light. That background mixed with Boston posting an 11-2 postseason record in games officiated by Lewis has people thinking this crew stinks as bad as a Shamrock Shake in two days of direct sunlight. Eric Lewis earning is half a million dollars as an NBA referee for almost 19 years. Some in the court of public opinion believe otherwise. He has been writing for the past 8 months and has played Football and Basketball on a national level. His tweets expose vicious pro-Celtics, anti-Lakers biases. A long-standing referee in the NBA, Lewis has been officiating in the league for almost two decades and during that time has refereed countless playoff games, including two NBA Finals in recent times. Before joining the NBA officiating staff, Lewis gained experience officiating in various basketball leagues. And 54 of Donaghy's calls to Foster occurred either right before or right after games Donaghy officiated. NBA draft: Which rookies can have biggest impact in 2023-24? The Celtics are 67-60 all-time in Scott Foster games. Even former U.S. presidential nominee Mitt Romney had his burner account exposed by Slate. NBA Official on Twitter: "NBA Referee Eric Lewis comments to a pool The Lakers suffered yet another referee-induced defeat after a clear foul by Jayson Tatum on LeBron James in the closing seconds of regulation was not called. He officiated two Finals games in both the 2020 series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the. Heat vs. Celtics. After L.A.'s 125-121 OT loss to the Celtics, the crew chief for the game, Eric Lewis, said the referees should have called Jayson Tatum for a shooting foul on LeBron James' last-second layup . With Anthony Davis back on the court and seemingly able to perform at a high level, the Lakers have received a direly necessary shot in the arm. It was then that he got his arm hit by Tatum, who attempted to make a block. He also addressed the technical foul given to Patrick Beverley, as his actions were "inappropriate", said Lewis. Taking a look at NBA referee, Eric Lewis. Just look at the star players: NBA All-Stars sometimes have a tendency of complaining about officiating and that comes from both benches of each game, day in and day out. The Lakers were denied a clear game-winner if the foul were to be given. The account defended Lewis against allegations he favors the Celtics, saying, "Pretty sure there are other refs with similar stats with top teams," when a user pointed out Boston's strong record in games officiated by Lewis. A basketball official has had a distinguished career as a referee. Referee Eric Lewis not picked for Finals while NBA looks into tweets He has kids from his previous marriage, Eric and Eijah. The refereeing crew for the Celtics-Lakers game tonight is getting completely roasted on Twitter for their incompetence. like follow. Eric Lewis with Ime Udoka during a match in 2023( Source : Loading embed tweet https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1619547520723730433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw, Also Read How much do NBA Refs make: NBA Referee Salaries during Playoff and League games. The crackdowns and punishments for athletes even having FanDuel or DraftKings DFS accounts have been severe across the professional and collegiate sports. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. His two sons were at a summer camp. It will be interesting to see what decision does the NBA make on regulations, where referees are appointed to games they support. MORE: Why fans voiced concerns about Scott Foster, Eric Lewis before Celtics-76ers Game 7. Eric Lewis has worked NBA games since 2005. . Some showing statistics of the game Boston Celtics have won, when Eric Lewis is the referee. He also officiated in the United States Basketball League for two seasons and college basketball for eight seasons. He spent six seasons officiating high school basketball in his hometown of Daytona Beach, Florida. . Longtime NBA referee Eric Lewis is reportedly the subject of a league investigation after allegations about his use of social media. pic.twitter.com/628CgrG9A0. One can only imagine fans' reactions to the people making calls against their team (the legitimacy of those calls is moot). Home teams typically fare better in the playoffs that's why squads battle for higher seeds at the end of seasons, and why it was such a big deal to Celtics Nation when "Playoff Jimmy" Butler bouncedthe top-seeded Bucks from the postseason. MORE: Inside Kevin Durant's use of burner accounts. "We Did Not See a Foul" - NBA Referee Eric Lewis - Sportsmanor NBA referee Eric Lewis is being talked about. Yet that would mean nothing to the 38-year-old as his LA Lakers side were denied victory . Referees can receive an additional $30,000 per game during the NBA Finals. Some stats are relative to league average (+ above average, below average).Personal fouls include all fouls, not just fouls called by this referee. His wife, Vanessa Blair-Lewis the George Mason. pic.twitter.com/BYZmAfy70D, Acme Ingenious Medianet (@acme_Ingenious) January 29, 2023. Lewis has officiated more than 1,000 NBA games in his career, and was in the crew for NBA Finals. Unfortunately, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers faced a disappointing end to their season on May 22nd. NBAE via Getty Images As did Bulls guard Patrick Beverley, who when with the Lakers in January famously grabbed a camera in a game against the Celtics to show Lewis a . NBA Investigating Suspicious Twitter Account Theorized to Be Referee's Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Copyright: RU Sport Private Limited. In 2018, Philadelphia 76ers general manager Bryan Colangelo resigned when he and his wife were linked to burner accounts that criticized some of the team's players. On the other hand, Scott Foster is considered one of the most highly paid referees in the NBA. By 1994, the estimated salary range for referees was $72,000 to $177,000. Amulya Shekhar|Published January 29, 2023. About logos 2021-22 Boston Celtics Referee Summary Previous Season Next Season Record: 51-31, Finished 2nd in NBA Eastern Conference Coach: Ime Udoka (51-31) Executive: Brad Stevens PTS/G: 111.8 (12th of 30) Opp PTS/G: 104.5 (1st of 30) SRS: 7.02 (1st of 30) Pace: 96.6 (24th of 30) For many conspiracy-theorist fans, this Best of 7 series has already been decided well before Game 7 tips but do bettors actually believe in such narratives? It indeed was a foul on LeBron, There was contact. Eric Lewis's daughter is also a pediatrician in Boston. The NBA, I'm told, has opened an official review into Twitter activity unearthed this week with frequent mentions of veteran referee Eric Lewis. By Arati Awal, It indeed was a foul on LeBron, " There was contact. Lewis played basketball at Bethune Cookman College and Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Fla. Against the Celtics, seeing him lose his cool in such a fashion is understandable. He finds himself in a troubling situation after the Lakers-Celtics game. "Eric Lewis is The Worst NBA Referee!": NBA Twitter Lambasts Officials LeBron James has questions about the alleged Twitter burner account controversy involving NBA referee Eric Lewis. Kendrick Perkins, a former Celtic, found the entire situation hilarious now that Lewis has been accused of using a burner account. Lewis officiated his first NBA Finals game during the 2019 series between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors. He officiated two Finals games each in the 2020 series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat and the 2021 series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns. NBA Referee Who Missed Jayson Tatums Foul on LeBron James Is a Celtics Fan? Statistics are per 48 minutes; includes games since 1996-97. A referee's family and friends are allowed to be fans of teams. A huge controversy has risen after the officiating debacle in the Lakers-Celtics game. Kendrick Perkins on First take crying at Eric Lewis getting caught with a burner account pic.twitter.com/RoBKhzpl5M. Some stats are relative to league average (+ above average, below average).Personal fouls include all fouls, not just fouls called by this referee. Height, wingspan Who is the lowest paid NBA player in the 2022-2023 season? It has also raised questions about the relationship between NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Eric Lewis. In the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, there has been a whole lot of controversy. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. (h/t @Mikey_Wyllin) thread pic.twitter.com/6GTvURouOc. The NBA is investigating. NBA referees' union: Missing foul on LeBron James 'gut-wrenching' - ESPN Enjoy live and on-demand online sports on DAZN. If it can be proved Lewis was making such statements, he could face discipline. Screenshots of interactions from the supposed burner account were shared on Twitter, leading to the investigation. Not saying whether it will benefit the 76ers or the Celtics, but it seems likely that an NBA Playoffs game officiated by Scott Foster, Eric Lewis and Bill Kennedy will have more referee involvement than any basketball fan would like. He has also refereed 82 playoff games, including six NBA Finals games. They have been the better team all season. It was after that, official Eric Lewis failed to give a foul on LeBron. Percentage Of The Hornets Michael Jordan Own, 10 Hottest Female College Basketball Players, What Is Goaltending In NBA? The crew missed the play." said Lewis in the Pool. Heat vs Celtics Referees Game 6. Eric Lewis | Basketball-Reference.com Miami Heat and the 2021 series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns. Even Jayson Tatum was evasive when asked about the incident in the post-game presser. The 52-year-old Lewis played college basketball at Bethune Cookman and spent time officiating at the high school, college, and G League (known as the NBA D-League) levels before joining the NBA. NBA referees earn annual salaries ranging from $180,000 to $550,000. Both of them had important buckets to bring the Celtics abreast of LeBron James and co. James could still have won the game for the LakeShow, but he, unfortunately, was on the receiving end of a terrible whistle. No other tweets have been posted by the account since the NBA's investigation was first reported. Do you have a sports website? According to reports, the NBA has initiated an official review after allegations emerged on Twitter concerning a burner account that is believed to belong to veteran official, Eric Lewis. NBA Playoffs Referees: List of Refs for Heat vs Celtics Game - FanDuel Cynics believe the series is over before this game even starts due to . Most people with even a casual level of interest in pro basketball know that Foster was close with infamous referee Tim Donaghy, who was found to be heavily involved in an elaborate gambling scandal after officiating nearly 800 NBA games. Silver and the rest of the NBA brass wouldneverallow for something to tarnish the reputation of the Association, which generates a yearly revenue in the range of 11 figures. When another user ranked all active NBA officials and placed Lewis near the bottom of the list, the account responded, "Sooo you watched every referee?". NBA ref allegedly caught with burner account defending his calls to Born: May 20, 1971 in Daytona Beach, Florida, High School: Prior to that he was responsible for another two games in the 2020 series, when the Lakers squared off with the Heat. The account @ CuttliffBlair, which has since . It is nothing but baseless facts, or could it be something much more controversial than it looks? The NBA has already determined in its postgame review that the officials got the call wrong on the Lakers last possession of the 4th Q and a Jayson Tatum should have been called for a shooting foul on LeBron James, league sources told ESPN. There is nothing inherently against the rules about operating a burner account, but in this case, the NBA's rules that prohibit referees from publicly commenting on officiating matters could be the trouble. The NBA has opened an investigation into longtime referee Eric Lewis involving a Twitter account that responded to numerous posts on league officiating and defended Lewis and other NBA referees, league sources confirmed to ESPN. James Harden is 2-10 in his last 12 playoff games with Scott Foster as the lead official. NBA Twitter roasts Eric Lewis for missing an obvious foul call on LeBron James The refereeing crew for the Celtics-Lakers game tonight is getting completely roasted on Twitter for their incompetence. This account defended Lewis against criticism from various users but has since been deleted. Outside of his officiating career, Lewis dedicates his free time to working with organizations that support troubled teenagers, highlighting his commitment to making a positive impact beyond the basketball court. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Eric Lewis NBA investigation, explained: What to know about NBA referee's burner account allegations, Full list of every game-winning buzzer-beater in NBA playoff history, Inside Charles Barkley's brutal track record of NBA picks, Why fans voiced concerns about Scott Foster, Eric Lewis before Celtics-76ers Game 7, Inside Kevin Durant's use of burner accounts. While the account is correct that there is no truth to the rumor, the fixation on defending Lewis and other NBA officials was enough to raise eyebrows on Twitter and now in NBA offices. That's just lazy, and so is the faulty narrative that he's officiating with a bias. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Billy4Democracy (@DemocracyBilly4) January 29, 2023, these refs should be reevaluated and retrained then show cause why the @NBA should keep them @OfficialNBARefs @NBAOfficial. Burner account tied to NBA ref Eric Lewis allegedly defended him This is a joke for the integrity of the game, Fix it. Particularly when it involves him and possible off-the-court activity. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The NBA Referees'. He last worked on May 16, when Denver played host to the Los Angeles Lakers in . A rough day in the office for Lewis, judging by most accounts. Well, it's not the first time the NBA has looked into a burner account situation. After the controversial OT win for the Boston Celtics. At the time, during the game, we did not see a foul. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Lewis officiated a January game between the Celtics and Lakers this season that ended on a controversial no-call that would have went against Boston. "I'm sorry that I put E, in this situation," the tweet says, "but this ain't Watergate". It wouldve given LeBron and the Lakers, an opportunity to win, rather than going into OT. Rivers is just 17-32 in closeout games across his career, good for a .346 winning percentage. Former 76ers GM Bryan Colangelo was forced to resign after his burner Twitter account -- which included criticism of Joel Embiid -- was unearthed, while Kevin Durant has admitted to engaging with people using multiple burner accounts. Everyone in and around the NBA shares the common desire for good, fair contests unadulterated by human error. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Lewis has officiated 82 playoff games throughout his career in the NBA. Lewis started his career officiating six years at the high school level, eight and the collegiate tier, two season in the United States Basketball League, and three years in the NBA G League, including the 2004 finals. Lakers Nation started the game off in good stead. He spent three seasons in the NBA G League, including officiating the 2004 Finals. Eric Lewis has officiated 1,098 regular-season games in 18 seasons as an NBA staff official. The account in question, which has since been deleted, was listed under a username "Blair Cuttliff" with the handle @CuttliffBlair. The NBA is currently investigating the alleged use of a Twitter burner account by Lewis. Lewis is a longtime NBA referee who is just finishing up his 19th season in the league.
