Thread: Is The NBA Rigging Games To Get The Lakers In The Playoffs?

Originally Posted by MasterShake

I really did post the video as a tongue in cheek response to what most people feel when watching NBA games. While I don't think there is anything that the league is expressly doing to get the Lakers into the playoffs, I do believe there is such a thing as favoritism and "superstar calls" that can swing a close game towards certain teams. I'm not saying there is a grand conspiracy, but it does seem like sometimes the refs swallow their whistles at the wrong time and blow them too readily at other moments. Cherry picking those instances in a youtube video proves nothing, I just wish foul calling in the NBA wasn't so subjective.

I totally agree with you. There are "favored" teams, as well as "favored" players, when it comes to NOT calling fouls, and that just did not start this season.

AND then this:

Tim Donaghy’s Book: Refs Fix Games, Hate Allen Iverson and Raja Bell

We’ve already established that Tim Donaghy is a crooked person who bet on NBA games that he officiated and fixed. Since he’s already been to jail to serve his time and the league never backed him up, he’s out for payback in the worst way possible: he’s written a book about the officiating corruption in the league that names names and cites specific examples. Although the book doesn’t have a publisher currently, excerpts have reached Deadspin and they’re here for our perusal.

First, here are some of the facts. We’ve already recognized that Donaghy was perfect at moving the spread and delivering. Additionally, one of the games we pinpointed as one he fixed even was mentioned in his excerpt. He even said the reason the free throw disparity favored the Knicks so greatly was that one of the officials was super friendly with Isiah Thomas. Makes sense. Anyway, more on the specifics from the book.

Donaghy specifically states that stars got preferential treatment and that lesser-known players like Raja Bell, who was a defensive stopper, got fouls called against him so he couldn’t shut down the stars as well. He also says that Allen Iverson was given a tough time by referees after he criticized Steve Javie. Donaghy specifically names referees and what their motivation was. The strongest charge was against Dick Bavetta, whom Donaghy called a company man that manipulated games and playoff series including the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Kings. Tim also said that referee Tommy Nunez did everything he could to fix the Suns/Spurs ’07 Western Conference playoff series in favor of San Antonio. The Spurs of course went on to win the NBA Finals.

rest - http://larrybrownsports.com/basketba...aja-bell/10642
There are places within the article where you can click on something to learn more.

Originally Posted by MasterShake

Nah, like any conspiracy it falls apart due to the fact that no one can keep a secret. The minute some ref felt shafted or got fired they would be asking the media for a lot of money to share their story.

Exactly. It just WAY to big a risk for a pro sports league to fix games. Especially for something as meaningless as the Lakers being the 8 seed.

If the NBA was rigging games the Spurs, a boring team in a small market, would not have 4 titles.

just search Tim Donaghy... that will point you in the right direction

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

Exactly. It just WAY to big a risk for a pro sports league to fix games. Especially for something as meaningless as the Lakers being the 8 seed.

If the NBA was rigging games the Spurs, a boring team in a small market, would not have 4 titles.

People still watch the NBA?

Originally Posted by weazel

of course they are... it's the NBA, it's worse than the WWE

But is it worse than WTE?

The only thing worse than the calls that Kobe Bryant gets are the Duke charge calls.

The NBA is made unwatchable by it's refs. Terrible. Anyone remember the first Dallas vs. Miami finals? Or the old Bulls vs. Anybody series' when Jordan could do anything he wanted and practically every shot he put up would send him to the FT line?

The NBA on a legitimacy scale is just this side of professional wrestling.

Originally Posted by weazel

Speaking of Ed Rush...bounties for Ts.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ating/2047023/

Piece of shit.

Originally Posted by Davii

But is it worse than WTE?

lol, that's def the worst.

After watching Laker games and the refs during them, i had to stop watching basketball i was getting so pissed off at the rigged nature of the sport when it comes to late game fouls.

No one gets more calls than LeBron James. You can't defend him because touching him is a foul. Then when he plays D he can hang all over you. The NBA is a bad product. I love my Celtics, but it's awful to watch.

I haven't watched an NBA game in its entirety in probably 5 years. I refuse to support Stern's crooked product.

Originally Posted by chazoe60

The NBA is made unwatchable by it's refs. Terrible. Anyone remember the first Dallas vs. Miami finals? Or the old Bulls vs. Anybody series' when Jordan could do anything he wanted and practically every shot he put up would send him to the FT line?

The NBA on a legitimacy scale is just this side of professional wrestling.

They lost me way back when they apparently decided that traveling didn't apply to Michael Jordan. The whole problem IMO was David Stern's focus on superstars rather than teams, because of the marketing possibilities. Add in the absurd playoff structure and the League's general toleration of thug behavior and I just checked out

Originally Posted by Dreadnought

They lost me way back when they apparently decided that traveling didn't apply to Michael Jordan. The whole problem IMO was David Stern's focus on superstars rather than teams, because of the marketing possibilities. Add in the absurd playoff structure and the League's general toleration of thug behavior and I just checked out

I quit watching it for year. I have to say that having the Thunder move to town really got me back involved in it, but it is really frustrating watching the officiating, and the relaxation of some of the most fundamental rules.

I always kind of roll my eyes when I see folks arguing that Goodell is ruining the NFL with some of these contact rules meant to support player safety, but the NBA is the prime example of how a sport can be ruined when it gets too far away from the basic, historical rules.