“My average-crew read got benched harder than the Clippers' bench. Reaves dropped 28 on four fouls, the crew kept the whistle in its pocket, and the only one who got fouled tonight was my read.”
MONTY, THE MORNING AFTER
HOW THE WHISTLE WENT
Fri, Oct 23, 2026 · Final
LAC @ LAL LA Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers
THE CREWBill Kennedy(34)chief·Mitchell Ervin(28)·Evan Scott(9)
LAC 117LAL 125
- Total moved down 4
WHISTLE VOLUME
40.6
fouls per 100 possessions · −5.5 vs average
5,128th busiest of 13,614 games since 2015
OUR READ
On the number
Expected 41.7 fouls per 100 for both teams; it came in at 40.7 (−1.0).
The crew’s tendency alone read average.
Fouls by quarter
LAC LAL
Expected vs actual
| Fouls / 100 | Free throws / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| LAC | 21.2 → 19.3 | 23.8 → 22.9 |
| LAL | 20.5 → 21.4 | 25.7 → 24.3 |
Expected before tip-off → what happened. Free throws: LAC 25, LAL 25.
Free throws: actual vs expected
Bar = free throws taken; tick = expected before tip-off.
The closer
13 Q4 fouls vs 10.0 a quarter before
Louder late
5 of the Q4 fouls came with the game within 10 points, 8 with it wider.
Foul-trouble watch: Austin Reaves (LAL)
4 fouls · 28 pts · 38 min
Key whistles
- Q2 2:22 Kris Dunn (LAC), offensive foul: 3rd foul before half
Picked by rule (foul trouble, close finish), not graded right or wrong.
BEFORE TIP-OFF
THE CREW’S TENDENCY
PENDING
The league posts referee assignments about 9 a.m. ET on game day. The crew read lands here as soon as it does.
What this crew calls
vs league, 1.00× = average
A league-average call mix: no call type stands out.
- Offensive fouls and charges0.98×
- Shooting fouls1.00×
- Loose-ball fouls1.02×
- Take fouls1.02×
- Technical fouls1.06×
- Traveling1.05×
Per game in this crew's games since 2022-23, against league average; each official shrunk toward league until the games pile up. Every call counts for all three officials.
The free-throw battle
how busy each end should be
The busier end is when LAL have the ball.
When LAC have the ballMiddle of the road
quietleague middlebusy
LAC draw fouls: 9th most; get to the line: 4th most. LAL commit fouls: 5th fewest; give up free throws: 5th fewest. Expected free throws for LAC: 25.9.
When LAL have the ballLeans busy
quietleague middlebusy
LAL draw fouls: 5th most; get to the line: 2nd most. LAC commit fouls: mid-pack; give up free throws: 9th fewest. Expected free throws for LAL: 26.5.
League ranks this season, out of 30.
Where they stand
LAC LAL
Overall
When they defend
When they attack
League rank out of 30 this season, 1st = best for the team: most points scored, fewest allowed, fewest fouls and free throws given up, most fouls drawn and trips to the line. The right-hand number is how many places the leader is ahead.
Pace
possessions per 48 minutes
97slower · faster107
- LAC 99.5 · 29th fastest
- LAL 100.1 · 26th fastest
- Expected tonight 99.8
- Actual 106 (+6.2 vs expected)
Crew’s pace lean: neutral (64th percentile of crews on the slate). Crews do nudge pace, but only by about 0.7 possessions between the fastest and slowest tenth; the teams decide almost all of it.
What to expect
vs league avg
LAC
25.9
free throws
LAL
26.5
free throws
Who’s out
LAC
Nobody listed
LAL
Nobody listed
The lines
DraftKings · open → close
| Total | 229.5 → 225.5▼ 4 |
|---|---|
| Spread | LAL -9.5 → -8.5 |
| Moneyline | LAC +300 → +285 · LAL -380 → -360 |
For information only. Prices move; check your book. 19+ (21+ in most of the US).
The crew read in detail: fouls, free throws and points vs the line
Fouls+0.4 per 100 poss not clear
Personal fouls by both teams per 100 possessions, against the league average, after allowing for the two teams.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −0.3 and +1.1 per 100 poss.
n = 162 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
Free throws+0.5 per 100 poss not clear
Free-throw attempts by both teams per 100 possessions, against the league average.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −0.4 and +1.4 per 100 poss.
n = 162 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
Points vs the line+0.4 points not clear
Final points minus the closing total in this crew's games. Near zero means the market already prices the crew.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −0.5 and +1.2 points.
n = 162 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
Download the post-game card for sharing.
Counts and rates, not verdicts. One game is noise; we score the crew read by season: our track record.