What is the difference between Crew Chief, Referee, and Umpire positions in NBA officiating?

The Crew Chief is the leader of the crew with proficiency in all positions, responsible for high-level play calling, crew management on and off the floor, and handling any game situation. The Referee serves as the glue for the crew through consistency and teamwork, proficient in all Umpire requirements and capable of handling plays in secondary coverage areas. The Umpire aggressively and accurately calls plays in their primary area of responsibility, handling basic mechanics including rotations, positioning, and clock awareness with strong rules knowledge.

How often are NBA referee assignments updated?

RefMetrics updates NBA referee assignments throughout the day as the NBA releases official crew assignments. The page is automatically refreshed with the latest information. During the regular season and playoffs, assignments are typically finalized by mid-morning on game day.

NBA Referee Assignments Today (October 30, 2025)

Updated: Oct 30, 2025 • Source: NBA

Crew Chief, Referee, Umpire, tip times, and TV. Complete officiating crew assignments for today's NBA games, including NBA officials tonight and today's refs.

Time	Matchup	Crew Chief	Umpire 1	Umpire 2	Network
03:30 PM PT	Houston Rockets @ Toronto Raptors	Marc Davis	Nick Buchert	Klajdi Mulla	Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass
04:00 PM PT	Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics	Pat Fraher	Tre Maddox	Sha'Rae Mitchell	ESPN
04:00 PM PT	Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons	Kevin Scott	Justin Van Duyne	Dannica Baroody	FanDuel SN DET
04:30 PM PT	Atlanta Hawks @ Brooklyn Nets	Kevin Cutler	Natalie Sago	Brett Nansel	YES
05:00 PM PT	Sacramento Kings @ Chicago Bulls	Courtney Kirkland	Sean Corbin	Pat O'Connell	CHSN
05:30 PM PT	Indiana Pacers @ Dallas Mavericks	Mark Lindsay	Ray Acosta	CJ Washington	KFAA-TV, Mavs.com
06:00 PM PT	New Orleans Pelicans @ Denver Nuggets	Tony Brothers	Scott Twardoski	Gina Catanzariti	GCSEN, Pelicans.com, NBA League Pass
06:00 PM PT	Portland Trail Blazers @ Utah Jazz	Sean Wright	Jason Goldenberg	Jenna Reneau	KUNP 16, BlazerVision, NBA League Pass
06:30 PM PT	Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves	Tyler Ford	Phenizee Ransom	Derrick Collins	ESPN
07:00 PM PT	Memphis Grizzlies @ Phoenix Suns	John Goble	Eric Dalen	Suyash Mehta	FanDuel SN SE, NBA League Pass

About NBA Referee Assignments

How Assignments Work

The NBA releases referee assignments and officiating crew schedules each morning on game day. Every NBA game features a three-person officiating crew with distinct roles:

Crew Chief

Leader of the crew, responsible for high-level play calling, crew management, and handling any game situation.

Referee

The glue for the crew through consistency and teamwork, carrying a larger workload and managing game condition shifts.

Umpire

Calls plays in primary area of responsibility with strong mechanics, positioning, and rules knowledge.

Referee Statistics & Data

Click any referee name to view their complete profile with detailed statistics including:

Career History: Game-by-game records with position breakdowns

Team Matchups: Historical assignments and performance analysis

Officiating Patterns: Foul calling tendencies and crew assignments

Schedule Trends: Seasonal patterns and workload distribution

Frequently Asked Questions About NBA Referee Assignments

NBA referee assignments are typically released on the morning of game day, usually by 9:00 AM ET. The NBA may release assignments earlier for nationally televised games or playoff contests. RefMetrics updates the assignments page throughout the day as official crew assignments are announced.

RefMetrics provides comprehensive NBA referee assignments for all games scheduled today. You can view the complete officiating crew for each game including the Crew Chief, Umpire 1, and Umpire 2 assignments. Each referee name links to their detailed profile with career statistics and assignment history.

The NBA assigns referee crews based on multiple factors including official experience, performance ratings, travel schedules, and rest requirements. The league aims to distribute assignments evenly while ensuring high-quality officiating for all games. Crew Chief positions are typically assigned to the most experienced officials.

The Crew Chief is the leader of the crew with proficiency in all positions, responsible for high-level play calling and crew management. The Referee position serves as the glue for the crew through consistency and teamwork, carrying a larger workload than the Umpire. The Umpire focuses on aggressively and accurately calling plays in their primary area of responsibility with strong mechanics and rules knowledge. All three positions work together as a cohesive unit to officiate NBA games.

NBA Officials

Explore detailed profiles and statistics for all NBA referees and officials.

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Foul Statistics

Analyze foul calling patterns and tendencies across NBA officials.

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Team Analysis

See how different officials perform with specific NBA teams.

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