The 2023 NBA Finals tip off Thursday with the Heat and Nuggets squaring off at 8:30 p.m. ET. That said, there's one more team you need to meet before the clock starts ticking: the officials.
Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Ed Malloy and Tyler Ford will be monitoring the sidelines as Game 1's officials. Davis is the crew chief for his 19th NBA Finals game, while Ford — who has never been a part of a Finals officiating crew — will serve as an alternate.
As the seven-game series stretches on, there will be roles changed and pawns moved. A total of 12 officials have been honorably assigned to this year's NBA Finals showdown between the want-another-one Heat and the first-title-seeking Nuggets.
Some officials are more experienced than others, but all are ready to bring an effective system of checks and balances to the court.
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Here's what you need to know about the referees for the NBA Finals.
NBA Finals referees 2023
There are 12 officials assigned to the NBA Finals, as well as two alternates. Referee assignments are updated here at approximately 9 a.m. ET on every game day.
Below is the full list of officials set to participate in the Heat vs. Nuggets series.
| Name | Number of NBA Finals officiated |
| Scott Foster | 16 |
| Tony Brothers | 12 |
| Marc Davis | 12 |
| Zach Zarba | 10 |
| Ed Malloy | 8 |
| John Goble | 7 |
| David Guthrie | 6 |
| Bill Kennedy | 5 |
| Josh Tiven | 4 |
| James Williams | 3 |
| Courtney Kirkland | 3 |
| Kevin Scott | 1 |
| Tyler Ford* | 0 |
| Ben Taylor* | 0 |
*alternates
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NBA Finals Game 1 officials
Marc Davis
Crew Chief, No. 8
This is Davis' 12th NBA Finals in 25 seasons. He has officiated 174 playoff games in total, 18 of which have been in the NBA Finals. He has not only offered his services to the NBA but also has spent time officiating in both the Continental Basketball Association and at the college level.
Davis was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2021 and the Chicago Public League Hall of Fame in 2012.
David Guthrie
Referee, No. 16
This is Guthrie's sixth NBA Finals in 18 seasons. He has officiated eight NBA Finals games during his 85 career playoff games. According to his NBRA profile, he considered his most memorable assignment as the 2018 NBA Finals Game 2 between the Warriors and Cavaliers. The Warriors beat the Cavaliers 122-103 in that contest and saw Stephen Curry break the NBA Finals record for most 3-point makes in a game (nine).
Guthrie has also spent time officiating in the G League and for the Continental Basketball Association. Like Davis, he has also worked at the college levels and officiated games during the 2003 and 2004 NCAA Tournaments.
Guthrie also played minor league baseball with the Cincinnati Reds organization from 1995 to 1998. He made it as high as Double-A and finished his career with a .209/.296/.295 slash line and seven homers over four seasons.
MORE: Heat vs. Nuggets series predictions
Ed Malloy
Umpire, No. 14
This is Malloy's ninth NBA Finals appearance in 21 seasons. He has officiated 10 NBA Finals contests and 128 playoff games in total during his career. He spent three seasons each officiating for the WNBA and the Continental Basketball Association as well as one season for the G League.
Malloy has called championship series across other leagues in addition to his NBA Finals experience. Most notably, he was involved with the 2002 NBA G League Finals and the 2001 CBA Finals.
He also played college basketball at Thomas Jefferson University. He starred there and won the ECAC's Player of the Year award for the 1992-93 season.
Tyler Ford
Alternate, No. 39
This is Ford's first-ever NBA Finals in eight seasons as an official. He has officiated 400 regular season games and 23 playoff games to date. Much like Malloy, he spent four seasons with the WNBA. He also has experience officiating Div. I college basketball, working for the Big Ten, Mid-American Conference and Summit League. Later, he would work five seasons for the G League.
