I don't really get how refs can be swayed by the crowd on individual decisions, because the crowd noise takes a while to kick in and by that time if the ref hasn't blown his whistle then it's too late to blow it anyway.
I can understand how a string of loud crowd reactions can build up pressure on the refs to call the next one in favour of the home team though. I've seen that effect in action plenty of times.
Fans in Perth have been great for a long time at putting that pressure on the refs. Personally I though it was far more intense at Challenge than at the Arena though. Challenge was more intimate in that players and refs could hear individual comments from a good percentage of the crowd. The crowd could hear each other better, and would really gang up on the reffing at times.
At the Arena the overall noise is probably greater due to having 11,000 instead of 4,000 there, but it is not as intense, and the crowd doesn't ride the refs nearly as hard. Individual shouting just gets completely lost in space, so it's a more sterlie environment.
Having said all that, we do seem to get a good run with the calls this season, unlike at Challenge where the norm seemed to be for local refs to try to prove they weren't biased towards the Cats by overcompensating the other way. I haven't come away from too many games this season thinking we clearly got a raw deal, whereas it was pretty common in previous seasons.
There's not much point in being mad at the Cats or their fans over it, but I'm sure the NBL has avenues for complaints to be lodged.
I really don't want to hear it after games like last night's Crocs game though. The Crocs just do not have the brains or the discipline to get the better of the refs in a physical contest. WHen you carry on with undisciplined acts like Hinder and Ervin did, you're not going to get any favours.