NBA (whenever)...

[britbox]

Well this kind of came out of left field. I hear you about the Kings series, that was the clearest example of the NBA rigging a series that we’ve seen with 2001 Bucks - 76ers up there as well. Game 6 in particular of Kings-Lakers may be the worst officiated game in any sport, talk about highway robbery! I honestly don’t remember 2000 being that bad, it certainly is not 2002 or we’d still be hearing about it.

As for not letting Pippen win in 2000…well he again was the 2nd best player on his own team next to Sheed, so how bad would it have actually made MJ look if he won one that year? Also, the idea that the NBA in 2000 would need to protect MJ’s legacy is crazy. So I don’t see the NBA going out of its way to make sure Pippen loses. They may have had a stake in LA winning since Shaq-Kobe was already a phenomenal duo, but I don’t see a motivation to screw Scottie.

The best player of post-Jordan era between Duncan, Kobe and Shaq is an interesting one. I do have Duncan narrowly ahead of the other two.

What was the Lakers rig in 2002? Just interested as I think that was the last time I paid much attention to NBA. Was that the series where Horry hit the 3 on the buzzer?

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

What was the Lakers rig in 2002? Just interested as I think that was the last time I paid much attention to NBA. Was that the series where Horry hit the 3 on the buzzer?

The officiating in the NBA was notoriously bad in the early 2000s. Just google Tim Donaghy, and you'll see what it was all about.

 

[britbox]

The officiating in the NBA was notoriously bad in the early 2000s. Just google Tim Donaghy, and you'll see what it was all about.

OK, just googled him. Fair enough, even though I am not seeing a connection to that particular series. What's your specific evidence that the 2002 series between the Lakers and Kings was rigged?

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

OK, just googled him. Fair enough, even though I am not seeing a connection to that particular series. What's your specific evidence that the 2002 series between the Lakers and Kings was rigged?

Game 6, the Lakers shot 27 free throws in the 4th quarter, and many of the calls were questionable. Donaghy was the ref for that game.

 

[britbox]

Game 6, the Lakers shot 27 free throws in the 4th quarter, and many of the calls were questionable. Donaghy was the ref for that game.

Actually, there are some pretty horrific calls here:

 

[DarthFed]

What was the Lakers rig in 2002? Just interested as I think that was the last time I paid much attention to NBA. Was that the series where Horry hit the 3 on the buzzer?

Hey Baron, game 6 4th quarter is all you need to see. It was just flat out blatant. And yes, it was the same series Horry hit the 3 at the buzzer in game 4. I’d say just watching that whole series, LA was up against it and just largely outplayed. That miracle comeback in game 4 gave them hope and then the zebras in game 6 rescued them. Game 7 in Sacramento went to OT and I think that was another poorly reffed game in favor of LA but not like game 6.

 

[DarthFed]

Game 6, the Lakers shot 27 free throws in the 4th quarter, and many of the calls were questionable. Donaghy was the ref for that game.

Donaghy wasn’t the ref for that game but he does say he knows it was rigged. With that said, we have to consider the source

 

[Federberg]

Donaghy wasn’t the ref for that game but he does say he knows it was rigged. With that said, we have to consider the source

isn't Scott Forster his buddy

 

[britbox]

Hey Baron, game 6 4th quarter is all you need to see. It was just flat out blatant. And yes, it was the same series Horry hit the 3 at the buzzer in game 4. I’d say just watching that whole series, LA was up against it and just largely outplayed. That miracle comeback in game 4 gave them hope and then the zebras in game 6 rescued them. Game 7 in Sacramento went to OT and I think that was another poorly reffed game in favor of LA but not like game 6.

I'd have to go back and look at it. It was a pretty good rivalry at the time. I recall that Bibby guy of the Kings kept hitting 3 pointers. But sure, I'm open to the idea of match fixing - it seems pretty obvious in a lot of sports - whether it's the participants or the refs (or both). I remember blowing a gasket when the Raiders fell foul of that dumb "tuck rule" in the snow and lost to the Patriots... seemed pretty orchestrated to me.

 

[DarthFed]

I'd have to go back and look at it. It was a pretty good rivalry at the time. I recall that Bibby guy of the Kings kept hitting 3 pointers. But sure, I'm open to the idea of match fixing - it seems pretty obvious in a lot of sports - whether it's the participants or the refs (or both). I remember blowing a gasket when the Raiders fell foul of that dumb "tuck rule" in the snow and lost to the Patriots... seemed pretty orchestrated to me.

I loved the Kings, particularly Chris Webber. Bibby was a very good player too, and you had Divac and a couple other bruisers. It was a team that was well put together and they played great that entire postseason.

The NBA really has a reputation and that game 6 was the peak of it I’d say. You have a ref named Scott Foster who is known as the Extender because teams always seem to stave off elimination in the playoffs when he is reffing. And the other ref we are talking about, Tim Donaghy, was busted for gambling on the games he reffed. That obviously leaves quite a stain in and of itself.

Aside from that i kind of just embellish how much games are rigged, which I think is common among a lot of NBA fans. Some of the refs are just horrible. Joey Crawford may be the most famous NBA ref there is. I don’t think he actively fixed games, he was just an old power-hungry clown that became one of the NBA celebrity refs due to some of his memorable moments.

 

[DarthFed]

Just looked it up and the Extender is now 38-7 in game 6 for teams that needed to win to avoid elimination! I think it used to be even worse than that, but that’s insane! Of course if we are being fair you’d have to see how many of those 38 had HCA in game 6 and/or were favorites in those games. But that’s a hard stat to ignore.

He also had quite the history with Chris Paul in playoff games. CP3 didn’t do himself favors with his own play in the postseason but he virtually never won when Foster was reffing.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Something about that game last night did not make sense.. the Spurs were dominating after halftime and then the game totally flipped.. DeAaron Fox went to funk with his mid range jumper.. I could understand if they were 12 footers or more but it was what we call bunnies.. like pop a shot distance without anyone in front of him .. very strange

 

[brokenshoelace]

The early 2000's Kings and mid 2000's Suns are the two teams that I really wish won a championship. That Kings team got absolutely ripped off by the refs as mentioned in this thread. It really was blatantly corrupt -- no other explanation. Both played a style of basketball that is a bit of a precursor to the offense centric style that dominates the modern game. Chris Webber has become historically underrated and there is a trend among former NBA players to downplay Steve Nash, which is utterly ridiculous.

 

[Federberg]

Wemby messed that up. Not just the final shot or the turnover. Repeatedly trying 3s

 

[DarthFed]

As hot as the Knicks have been this is still a shocker so far.

If you’re the Spurs going into game 3, even though they came up short here, you are hanging onto that late run with your backs against the wall and hoping to come out like gangbangers. If the Spurs are up by less than 10 at half of game 3 it will be telling. If you’re the Knicks on top of the obvious joy of winning both on the road, you add in the fact Brunson has played terribly and you’ve now won 13 playoff games in a row, and this is clearly a locomotive at this point.

 

[Federberg]

As hot as the Knicks have been this is still a shocker so far.

If you’re the Spurs going into game 3, even though they came up short here, you are hanging onto that late run with your backs against the wall and hoping to come out like gangbangers. If the Spurs are up by less than 10 at half of game 3 it will be telling. If you’re the Knicks on top of the obvious joy of winning both on the road, you add in the fact Brunson has played terribly and you’ve now won 13 playoff games in a row, and this is clearly a locomotive at this point.

have you been shocked though? I guess in so far as the Spurs have not played up to their potential I guess, but I can't say I've seen anything surprising from the Knicks. They've gone about their business the same way they've done through out the playoffs. I'm more on the spectrum of disappointed so far, rather than shocked

 

[DarthFed]

have you been shocked though? I guess in so far as the Spurs have not played up to their potential I guess, but I can't say I've seen anything surprising from the Knicks. They've gone about their business the same way they've done through out the playoffs. I'm more on the spectrum of disappointed so far, rather than shocked

I figured the Spurs would blow them out in game 2. They needed game 4 against Thunder, blew them out, needed game 6, blew them out and then took game 7 on the road. Yesterday was fairly close to a must win. Maybe their youth is catching up though it probably has more to do with the opponent. But the Brunson part is really what’s scary for the Spurs. If he heats up they are going to have one hell of a time trying to turn this around.

 

[Federberg]

I figured the Spurs would blow them out in game 2. They needed game 4 against Thunder, blew them out, needed game 6, blew them out and then took game 7 on the road. Yesterday was fairly close to a must win. Maybe their youth is catching up though it probably has more to do with the opponent. But the Brunson part is really what’s scary for the Spurs. If he heats up they are going to have one hell of a time trying to turn this around.

He seems to have been docile in the first halves of both games, but come alive reasonably well particularly in the 4th quarters. I agree.. if he puts it all together it's a wrap.

I'm really frustrated with Wemby though. He really needs to be operating nearer the post in this match up. It feels like the Knicks were dominating the boards, and frankly Wemby's shooting is really not up to scratch to be messing around with so many 3s and even middies. When... (not if) he misses there's no one around who's winning the rebound battle against the Knicks. He needs to trust the guards, but it almost felt at certain points that they were trying to feed him. He NEEDS to feed them.