[chargers4222]

The NBA does essentially know what they will be getting for each series, and they also know what people expect to see. Furthermore, they know how long each potential series will go. The NBA was well aware that everyone was hyping a Cavs/Heat series, and it may have happened if Miami was....you know....good.

Miami almost got beat by the Hornets (they lost a Game 5 at home, which is straight embarrassing), and were perhaps the worst road team among all of this year's final 8 teams. Whiteside getting hurt didn't completely make or break the Raptors winning the series, but it definitely didn't help the Heat.

While most people assume that the Heat would "be all mad" and beat Lebron out of spite, this is not how basketball works. In fact, if anything, Lebron would've gone out of his way to make sure he swept the Heat. The NBA does not like Conference Finals that only last 4 games.

On the flip side, regardless of what you think about the Raptors, they've played some awfully good games with the Cavs this year. The narrative about "getting Drake involved" is definitely not why the NBA prefers a Cavs/Raptors series, but it certainly helps. The real attraction of Toronto is two-fold: young superstars and Canada. They've been looking to expand into China and the UK for years, but they need to start with Canada before they can expand out into the ether. Dwyane Wade has been juiced for everything he's worth over the past 13 years, and the real "primetime" Conference Finals series was already set when they knew either OKC or SAS would be playing GSW in the WCF. So, they really didn't need a James/Wade storyline, especially since it won't do them any good two or three years from now.

Now that the NBA has an entire country supporting a basketball team in the thick of the NHL playoffs (where no Canadian teams are left), they're good to go. Canadians may have given up on the NBA altogether if the Raptors continued their losing ways.

This is why the Raptors beat the Heat, but it still comes down to basketball. If you thought the Heat were the better team, you didn't watch either team play in the regular season. If you thought the Heat would be a "better revenue draw" for the NBA, you're naive and short-sighted.

[upscope]

Whether there are Canadian teams or not left in the playoffs I can promise u 9 out of 10 Canadians outside of Toronto will still be watching Hockey over NBA. That's just the way it is UP there. Toronto beat Miami because they were the better team & they had home court in the series & game 7. They didn't win because NBA figured all of Canada would now become viewers.
It's funny, no matter the series, no matter the match-UP you can always come of with a story line or reason why NBA wanted this team or that team.......If Tor wins conspiracy theorist say it was because of Drake or wanting the Canadian market. If Mia wins its because NBA wanted LeBron vs Wade. If OKC wins it's because they want Westbrook & Durant to stuff the NBA cash fillers. If SA wins it's because NBA wants Duncan to go out in style. If Cle wins it's because NBA wants to ride LeBrons return home for all it's worth. If GST wins it's because NBA wants to capitalize on Steph & the whole 73 win thing.

The NBA does not control who wins a 7 game series. If they did every series would be 7 games & the bigger TV market would advance. When it doesn't happen like that then theres always an excuse from conspiracy theorist.

Why can't people just realize that there are only two teams playing in a series & one of them have to win & advance. Usually, it's the best team that wins & advances but every once in a while the other side simply outplays them & catches a few breaks. Deal with it.

Cle will beat Tor & GST will beat OKC. Not because it's rigged but because they are the better teams. GST will beat Cle in the Finals, not because it is rigged but because they r the better team. DEAL WITH IT PEOPLE!!

[chargers4222]

As I have said many times, the only thing worse than a batshit crazy full-on conspiracy theorist is a person who believes that everything in sport is pure. You don't think people might begin to catch on if every series went 7 games? Steph Curry doesn't need to intentionally miss a shot in order for a game to be fixed against GS. There is much more that goes into a $100 million broadcast than just rolling a ball out onto the court and "seeing who the better team is."

[upscope]

As I have said many times, the only thing worse than a batshit crazy full-on conspiracy theorist is a person who believes that everything in sport is pure. You don't think people might begin to catch on if every series went 7 games? Steph Curry doesn't need to intentionally miss a shot in order for a game to be fixed against GS. There is much more that goes into a $100 million broadcast than just rolling a ball out onto the court and "seeing who the better team is."

Gotcha.....It sounds like what you're saying is that the NBA intentionally rigged the Tor/Mia series because the NBA feels that all of Canada will be watching the games?? Is that correct??

If I'm reading what you're saying correctly & u truly believe that then why didn't the NBA rig it last yr for Toronto to advance?? Or the yr before?? Or the yr before?? What's so special about this yr??

Or maybe i'm just reading incorrectly what you are really trying to say because it sounds like u are on both sides here.

[upscope]

The funny thing is every yr so many people are screaming it's rigged but they can't figure out which side it is rigged for until after the series. Once the series is over the conspiracy theorist kicks into action with the story line reason for the rig. Why can't anybody correctly tell u the side it's rigged for in advance??
Before the Tor/Mia series the consensus had Miami winning because the NBA obviously wanted LeBron vs Wade so they can capitalize. Now after the fact they all change their tune & say the rig was really in place for Tor because of blah blah blah.

There's only two teams out there & here's a newsflash.....ONE OF THEM HAS TO WIN!!!

[jmunzz1116]

The NBA does essentially know what they will be getting for each series, and they also know what people expect to see. Furthermore, they know how long each potential series will go. The NBA was well aware that everyone was hyping a Cavs/Heat series, and it may have happened if Miami was....you know....good.

Miami almost got beat by the Hornets (they lost a Game 5 at home, which is straight embarrassing), and were perhaps the worst road team among all of this year's final 8 teams. Whiteside getting hurt didn't completely make or break the Raptors winning the series, but it definitely didn't help the Heat.

While most people assume that the Heat would "be all mad" and beat Lebron out of spite, this is not how basketball works. In fact, if anything, Lebron would've gone out of his way to make sure he swept the Heat. The NBA does not like Conference Finals that only last 4 games.

On the flip side, regardless of what you think about the Raptors, they've played some awfully good games with the Cavs this year. The narrative about "getting Drake involved" is definitely not why the NBA prefers a Cavs/Raptors series, but it certainly helps. The real attraction of Toronto is two-fold: young superstars and Canada. They've been looking to expand into China and the UK for years, but they need to start with Canada before they can expand out into the ether. Dwyane Wade has been juiced for everything he's worth over the past 13 years, and the real "primetime" Conference Finals series was already set when they knew either OKC or SAS would be playing GSW in the WCF. So, they really didn't need a James/Wade storyline, especially since it won't do them any good two or three years from now.

Now that the NBA has an entire country supporting a basketball team in the thick of the NHL playoffs (where no Canadian teams are left), they're good to go. Canadians may have given up on the NBA altogether if the Raptors continued their losing ways.

This is why the Raptors beat the Heat, but it still comes down to basketball. If you thought the Heat were the better team, you didn't watch either team play in the regular season. If you thought the Heat would be a "better revenue draw" for the NBA, you're naive and short-sighted.

Yes, you are right I completely agree.[almost] Read the book "The Fix is in"