NBA referees will use headsets during games starting Saturday to allow them to communicate in real time with the NBA replay center and each other, the league announced on Friday.

The move, with the NBA working in cooperation with the National Basketball Referees Association, launches a two-phase process which is aimed at improving game flow and enhancing officiating accuracy.

In phase one, each referee will have an earpiece clipped on their uniform, referees able to unclip the earpiece and place it in their ears only during instant replay review and as needed during other game stoppages, but not during live play.

After evaluation of results of the first phase of the new system, a second phase would begin in January and allow earpieces to be worn throughout a game, including during live

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