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

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.

Actually, the Spurs lead the league in local TV ratings. People fail to realize that although there are three NBA teams in Texas, there are no other major sports in San Antonio or Austin. I'll include Austin in this because of it's proximity to San Antonio (only 50 miles away). So, the market is much larger than it seems.

And if you need ANY proof of officiating dictating a winner, feel free to go back and watch the last 4 games of the 2006 NBA finals. 97 free throw attempts in 6 games for one player?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lX_qMS9bRY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuukM...feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fydht...feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZKGl...feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y8nI...feature=relmfu

This is very interesting. Most free throw attempts so far. From list:

Durant 696
Bryant 563
Anthony 465
Westbrook 528
Pierce 402
James 511
Harden 710
Howard 646 - high number, as a team playing the Lakers, when behind late in the game, foul Howard as he
is a terrible free throw shooter.

All of the above are "labeled" superstars

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/pl...t/freeThrowPct full list

oh geez. I didn't read the thread, and only the title...... but WHY would the NBA do this? What would it have to gain in comparisons to what it would lose? Conspiracy theories never REALLY seem to take into consideration just how hard it is to "keep a secret" in this information world where eveyrone is kept up on everything around the world up to the second. No one is without cameras, video cameras, recorders, texting and tweeting. How would this be kept behind closed doors? It's remarkable that anyone would take this seriously at all.

Originally Posted by Ravage!!!

oh geez. I didn't read the thread, and only the title...... but WHY would the NBA do this? What would it have to gain in comparisons to what it would lose? Conspiracy theories never REALLY seem to take into consideration just how hard it is to "keep a secret" in this information world where eveyrone is kept up on everything around the world up to the second. No one is without cameras, video cameras, recorders, texting and tweeting. How would this be kept behind closed doors? It's remarkable that anyone would take this seriously at all.

View the links I posted and give me a better explanation.

Originally Posted by Ravage!!!

oh geez. I didn't read the thread, and only the title...... but WHY would the NBA do this? What would it have to gain in comparisons to what it would lose? Conspiracy theories never REALLY seem to take into consideration just how hard it is to "keep a secret" in this information world where eveyrone is kept up on everything around the world up to the second. No one is without cameras, video cameras, recorders, texting and tweeting. How would this be kept behind closed doors? It's remarkable that anyone would take this seriously at all.

It's not a conspiracy in the way of a smoke filled room with David Stern grimmacing through a cigar and saying "listen here refs, the Lakers will be in the playoffs and they will reach the Western Conference finals". It's morr about an unwritten or spoken rule that star players will get calls and the rest of the league won't. I don't see how anyone can watch an NBA game and deny this.

Certain teams and certain players will get calls that nobody else gets. I heard with my own two earballs an NBA ref admit that if Kobe puts up an ugly shot and there was even a question as to contact or not he'll blow his whistle and give Kobe the benefit of the doubt. That's the issue.

Originally Posted by CoachChaz

View the links I posted and give me a better explanation.

a better explanation than to believe that this "conspiracy" doesn't exist, except in the mind of the fans that dislike particular teams? Come on, coach, I believe you are smarter than this. People want to believe ANY conspiracy that fits their mold... or in this case... links. There is a ton of evidence that is the direct antithesis of your theory and I don't think you need me to provide you with something like that.

If two small market teams, both lacking a superstar, played in the championship series, Stern & Co. would be on life support, as well as the network carrying the event.

Originally Posted by Ravage!!!

a better explanation than to believe that this "conspiracy" doesn't exist, except in the mind of the fans that dislike particular teams? Come on, coach, I believe you are smarter than this. People want to believe ANY conspiracy that fits their mold... or in this case... links. There is a ton of evidence that is the direct antithesis of your theory and I don't think you need me to provide you with something like that.

I think this is the first thing we've agreed on in months Rav!

But seriously, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks these conspiracy theories are ridiculous. I'll buy that superstars get the benefit of the doubt with refs, but I just refuse to believe that there is some conspiracy coming down from Stern to get refs to try to swing the outcomes of games. As long as he has been the commissioner, you would think at least one disgruntled former ref or employee would have spilled the beans on this "conspiracy" by now.

Originally Posted by chazoe60

It's not a conspiracy in the way of a smoke filled room with David Stern grimmacing through a cigar and saying "listen here refs, the Lakers will be in the playoffs and they will reach the Western Conference finals". It's morr about an unwritten or spoken rule that star players will get calls and the rest of the league won't. I don't see how anyone can watch an NBA game and deny this.

Certain teams and certain players will get calls that nobody else gets. I heard with my own two earballs an NBA ref admit that if Kobe puts up an ugly shot and there was even a question as to contact or not he'll blow his whistle and give Kobe the benefit of the doubt. That's the issue.

They do in every professional league/sport... and I agree with you. Star WRs will get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to calls (every see Tony Gonzalez miss a catch and not do the hanky tossing dance?) ... just as star QBs get the ticky-tacky "roughing" calls. Leagues are made on their star players, and the refs know that they are talking to HUGE names in the sport. They are fans of the game just like anyone else. Even in tennis, str players got the line calls...in soccer we saw a star player make a HUGE "head ball" score that was pictured on the cover of Sports Illustrated to be nothing more than hit with a fist. But he was the biggest name in soccer, and the ref wasn't about to doubt.

So yes... star players get differential treatment. But, it's not the differential treatment that MAKES them stars. Why do star players get more calls.....because they probably have the ball more in tight spots.... because they are the stars. It's a back-n-forth kind of thing, but they have ALWAYS gotten the calls and always will.

Originally Posted by BaileyTheBest

I think this is the first thing we've agreed on in months Rav!

But seriously, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks these conspiracy theories are ridiculous. I'll buy that superstars get the benefit of the doubt with refs, but I just refuse to believe that there is some conspiracy coming down from Stern to get refs to try to swing the outcomes of games. As long as he has been the commissioner, you would think at least one disgruntled former ref or employee would have spilled the beans on this "conspiracy" by now.

I already posted it - book by a former ref spilling the beans - http://larrybrownsports.com/basketba...aja-bell/10642

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

If two small market teams, both lacking a superstar, played in the championship series, Stern & Co. would be on life support, as well as the network carrying the event.

People would still watch. The closest we have come to your scenario in the last decade was the Spurs-Pistons finals. And while that one did get pretty bad ratings, it didn't financially kill the NBA. They are, by any measure, the second or third most popular pro sports league in America.

I just don't get this idea that Stern and the networks would suffer such massive hardship if small market teams with no superstars played in the finals. It might be a slight ding to the ratings, but it wouldn't kill basketball. You know what would kill basketball? If it was leaked that Stern was directing the refs to fix games.

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

I already posted it - book by a former ref spilling the beans - http://larrybrownsports.com/basketba...aja-bell/10642

He didn't spill the beans on any conspiracy theory... and your link doesn't work.

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

I already posted it - book by a former ref spilling the beans - http://larrybrownsports.com/basketba...aja-bell/10642

Your link doesn't work. But if you are referring to Tim Donaghy, all that was proved with him was that he swung games for gambling purposes. That isn't the same as being directed by Stern to fix games.

Originally Posted by Ravage!!!

a better explanation than to believe that this "conspiracy" doesn't exist, except in the mind of the fans that dislike particular teams? Come on, coach, I believe you are smarter than this. People want to believe ANY conspiracy that fits their mold... or in this case... links. There is a ton of evidence that is the direct antithesis of your theory and I don't think you need me to provide you with something like that.

I wont go so far as to say there is a conspiracy as to which teams win...but there could be certain scenarios that occur in specific situations. The 2006 Finals is a perfect example. Dallas was on its way to a sweep...that wouldnt be good for the NBA. The NBA also needed a new superstar, so let's put D. Wade on the line and let him average half of his points from there and pad him up.

Do I think there is any existing conspiracy that is commonplace? No. But do I believe there was something in place for that series? Well...looking at the evidence in those video clips and from watching that series, I have to go with what I see. And what I saw was a blatant violation of any sort of referee etiquette or code of honor. That has to come from somewhere. One bad game...okay. Four straight? Hmmmm.

Originally Posted by CoachChaz

I wont go so far as to say there is a conspiracy as to which teams win...but there could be certain scenarios that occur in specific situations. The 2006 Finals is a perfect example. Dallas was on its way to a sweep...that wouldnt be good for the NBA. The NBA also needed a new superstar, so let's put D. Wade on the line and let him average half of his points from there and pad him up.

Do I think there is any existing conspiracy that is commonplace? No. But do I believe there was something in place for that series? Well...looking at the evidence in those video clips and from watching that series, I have to go with what I see. And what I saw was a blatant violation of any sort of referee etiquette or code of honor. That has to come from somewhere. One bad game...okay. Four straight? Hmmmm.

see, that's taking one scenario and believing something that is EXTREMELY unlikely and having that be proof for something that "fits the result." I personally find this to be just a case of... if nothing else... bad officiating. ONE series is what you have to prove that the NBA WANTED someone else other than Dallas??? This is your proof? I find it to be very weak argument at the very best end of the spectrum, and completely ridiculous on the other.

"That has to come from somewhere.." Really?? So you ARE supporting the theory that the NBA not only "fixes" games, but "fixes" entire series as well.