“What the hell is going on?” – Mark Cuban issues major NBA playoff officiating concern amid the league’s attempt to restore viewership

The 2025 NBA playoffs have delivered plenty of hard-hitting drama. With referees noticeably swallowing their whistles, the postseason has become far more physical compared to the 2024-25 regular season, sparking a fiery debate across the league. While many fans have embraced the throwback edge, Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban isn't convinced it's a good thing for the NBA's long-term health.

Mark Cuban is not entirely happy with the rising physical confrontation in the NBA playoffs. Cuban warned that the trend toward excessive physicality could create unintended consequences in the near future. Taking to X, the $5.7 billion rich mogul wrote, "Wondering who will get into a fight next, which I believe is bad for the future of the NBA, will definitely draw more eyeballs." While the aggressive style may entertain viewers, Cuban cautioned that if this continues unchecked, it could reshape the NBA in ways that diminish the game’s skill and finesse.

"Here’s the thing," Cuban added. "I guarantee you that no one at the top of the NBA made the decision that the games should be more physical. It’s the officials managing the games their way. Nothing changed in the rule book or case book. Right now every team still in is calling the NBA asking what the hell is going on."
Cuban, who sold a majority stake in the Mavericks but remains closely tied to the franchise, pointed out the NBA’s tendency to swing into extremes. "The problem is that everything in the NBA always goes to excess. Guys will use physicality as a replacement for skill. Teams will adapt their rosters accordingly. If this stays in place for next [regular] season, I could see every team having a 2-way whose greatest ability is to fight and intimidate," he said.
His comments came in reaction to a post by Fox Sports' Chris Broussard, who praised the return of gritty playoff basketball, noting how much more exciting it has been compared to the regular season. “I am not one that calls for a return to ‘90s basketball, but these NBA playoffs, where the refs are letting the teams play physical defense, are waaayyyy more entertaining than today’s matador-defense, easy-buckets regular season games. It’s night & day!” Broussard wrote on the platform.
Cuban’s Mavericks, meanwhile, missed out on this gritty postseason after falling in the play-in tournament, a sharp contrast from their 2024 NBA Finals run led by Luka Doncic. Cuban, who has been a long-time enthusiast of the sport, has been vocal about the league’s decisions over the years. Arguably, the NBA is trying to restore viewership.
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The 2024-25 NBA regular season wrapped up with TNT, ESPN, and ABC averaging 1.53 million viewers — a slight 2% dip from last year’s 1.56 million, according to a recent report by Forbes. While regular season ratings have stayed relatively steady in recent years, this marks the league’s lowest average since the pandemic-affected 2021 season, which drew 1.39 million viewers. Including NBA TV’s lower-rated broadcasts, the overall average audience dropped to 1.04 million, reflecting a 5% decline compared to the 1.09 million average during the 2023-24 season.