Woj: NBA Execs Question Chris Paul Not Being Suspended for Bumping Ref in Game 1

Chris Paul bumped into a referee while arguing a call during Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, and the lack of a suspension after the incident reportedly has raised some eyebrows around the NBA. 

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:

"Privately, the referees union, officials themselves and even a lot of rival teams wonder what kind of precedent that sets, that Chris Paul did not get suspended for, in the words of the league, 'Recklessly making contact with a game official.' Several team executives around the NBA privately wondered to me, 'Would there have been a different outcome if Draymond Green had bumped an official in a game?'"

You can see Woj's full report below, starting around the 4:14 mark of the video.

It's the latest development in a series that has at least partly been defined by the officiating, or perhaps more accurately, Houston's reaction to the officiating. The Rockets were not pleased with the officiating in Game 1 or the officiating in last season's matchup with the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, going so far as to have it audited.

But the relationship between NBA players and the officials has also been an ongoing topic throughout the season and the playoffs. 

"It is out of control and that includes my own team at times," one coach of a playoff team told Frank Isola of The Athletic regarding players constantly arguing with the officials after foul calls or non-calls. "The league needs to do something about it."

Rough Ending for the Rockets

Former NBA official Steve Javie told Isola that Paul has a reputation among referees:

"This isn't the first time that this player has been involved with referees. Even during my career he's been very, very difficult. And I'll put that in a kind way; very, very difficult for referees and it seems like he has a disdain for referees. I don't know whether that's because he's so competitive. At some point in your career you would learn to control yourself more be a little more mature and he's not."

That reputation is unlikely to change after Paul made contact with an official in Game 1, especially as a number of people around the league question why it didn't lead to a suspension.