NBA Referee Nick Buchert Reminds us to Always Carry a Backup Whistle

In Tuesday night's laugher of a basketball game in which the Detroit Pistons thoroughly trounced the Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-77—which at one point had been a 100-50 ballgame—NBA referee Nick Buchert took a wayward pass from Cleveland's Antawn Jamison square in the jaw, giving us one of those ever-popular "teachable moments."

Though as far as teachable moments go, this is one of the least controversial, most tame and, yes, most amusing. With Detroit leading 48-29 in the second quarter, Jamison rifled a no-look pass directly at absolutely no one on either team, hitting Buchert with such force that the official lost his whistle.

One of several notable officials that forgoes the lanyard, Buchert saw his whistle tumble to the floor before alertly reaching into his pocket and pulling out a backup whistle to kill the play (Buchert had a foot out-of-bounds when the basketball hit his face).


"Teachable moment" No. 1: Always carry a backup whistle & No. 2, which is directed at Jamison: Look before you pass.