Something similar happens in soccer, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was true in basketball as well.
If your back is to the referee, you know you're probably going to get away with a discreet handball or a bit of a jersey tug because the ref simply can't see it. And once you've played enough games, it's not too hard to keep track of which direction you're facing in relation to the ref since they have a general radius of the field they stay in.
If your back is to the referee, you know you're probably going to get away with a discreet handball or a bit of a jersey tug because the ref simply can't see it. And once you've played enough games, it's not too hard to keep track of which direction you're facing in relation to the ref since they have a general radius of the field they stay in.