NBA announces 12 officials for The 2020 Finals
NEW YORK — The NBA today announced the list of 12 referees who will officiate the NBA Finals 2020 presented by YouTube TV. The championship series between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers tips off on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
“Congratulations to this outstanding group on a well-deserved honor. A Finals assignment is the pinnacle of the profession for our officials,” said Byron Spruell, NBA President, League Operations. “We are grateful for their dedication to the game and the sacrifices they have made during an unprecedented season.”
Finals officials were selected by the NBA Referee Operations management team based on their performance throughout the first three rounds of the 2020 playoffs. Officials were evaluated after each round to determine advancement in this year’s postseason.
The 12 referees assigned to The Finals are below:
| Referee | Number of Finals |
|---|---|
| Tony Brothers | 9th Finals |
| Pat Fraher | 1st Finals |
| Tony Brown | 1st Finals |
| John Goble | 4th Finals |
| James Capers | 9th Finals |
| David Guthrie | 3rd Finals |
| Marc Davis | 9th Finals |
| Eric Lewis | 2nd Finals |
| Kane Fitzgerald | 2nd Finals |
| Josh Tiven | 1st FInals |
| Scott Foster | 13th Finals |
| Zach Zarba | 7th Finals |
Three of the 12 have officiated at least 10 Finals games: Foster (19), Davis (12) and Capers (10). The officiating roster also includes three first-time Finals referees, Tony Brown, Pat Fraher and Josh Tiven.
NBA officials Courtney Kirkland and Kevin Scott have been assigned as Replay Center officials for The Finals 2020.
Individual game assignments for referees are posted at NBA.com/official at approximately 9 a.m. ET each game day.
