Originally posted on 05/29/2014:

Quote Originally Posted by akphidelt View Post
Absolutely nothing of value.
Key word: Value

Game six: 2002 Western Conference Finals
Sacremento Kings up 3 games to 2 on LA Lakers.

Scenario:
Close out game for Sacremento, if Kings win they go to NBA finals.
If Kings win, owners also lose a shitload of money that a game 7 would provide.
Also if Lakers win (game six and seven) the league benefits due to higher TV ratings which translates into more lucrative television contracts.

There's your value.

Suspicious:

Lakers shoot 27 free throws in the fourth quarter, Kings nine.
Some very suspicous touch fouls were called late in the fourth quarter that enable, assist, (use your own word) a Laker four point win.

Commentator Bill Walton was livid and voiced his displeasure about the 'horrible' officiating.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader demanded an investigation the next day.
Direct quote from Nader:
“Referees are human and make mistakes but there comes a point that goes beyond any random display of poor performance”

4th Quarter Calls/Non-Calls in last five minutes
Time
Score
Play
Type
Right
Call?
Ref
Pro
Comments
SAC
Pts
LAL
Pts
4:37 89-87 Lal Divac fouled and makes the shot so and1 chance Call Yes Bavetta Sac amazing pass by Webber
4:24 90-89 Sac Shaq fouled by Webber on post move as CW doubles Call Yes Bernhardt Lal replay Steve: Shaq spinning in and Webber does get him right on the noggin
3:56 90-90 Kobe shot blocked by Christie with no foul call with Kobe look to ref No Call Maybe Bernhardt Sac hard to see on tv angle -0.8
3:26 92-90 Sac Late in Shot clock ball into paint to Shaq who goes up and Divac makes block from behind for jump ball call Call Yes Bavetta Sac on replay Bill: that's a terrific play by Divac. Bad toss on jump ball by Bavetta helps Sacramento gain possession
3:06 92-90 Sac Webber offensive foul…huge call as he makes the shot but wiped out. Horry moving on the play flops and gets the whistle although Webber leans in Call Maybe Bernhardt Lal before replay Bill: and this is a terrible call. On seeing replay Bill: Webber has this all the way…look at his feet…on the outside of Robert Horry's -1.3
2:58 92-90 Sac Non call as Webber hits arm of Horry who loses control of ball No Call Wrong Delaney Sac …but foul on Divac moments later so no cost to lal 0
2:56 92-90 Sac Divac loose ball foul Call Yes Delaney Lal Bill: Adelman is beyond belief here. Steve: but Horry was fouled on that play by Chris Webber (as replay shows) when he brings the ball across he rakes his arm
2:40 92-92 Christie pass deflected OB Kings retain possession Call Yes Delaney? Sac
2:34 92-92 Foul on Kobe as Bibby dribbles on switch. No FT but <4 secs left on shot clock at time of foul Call Yes Bernhardt Sac on replay Steve: clearly a reach across
2:28 92-92 Webber missed fg airball while double teamed with no call with Horry defending and Kobe on double No Call Maybe Bavetta Lal hard to see on tv but to miss so badly is suspicious and Webber looked to Bavetta for whistle -0.6
2:16 92-92 O'Neal fouled on post entry pass by Funderburke Call Yes Bavetta Lal bad position on call by Bavetta? But replay looks like there was sufficient contact for the call
2:06 93-92 Lal Funderburke fouled by Shaq Call Yes Bavetta Sac obvious call
1:54 94-93 Sac Kobe drives to hoop along baseline and gets foul called on Christie with Webber coming over for block on help defense Call Prob Bavetta Lal replay Bill: Bibby cannot believe it and falls to the ground saying what is happening here. Webber had a great block on the play. I'm not sure where the foul is other than Kobe jumping into defenders who are backing up. Steve: Christie opened up the baseline and now he's riding Kobe the entire way. Once Kobe goes in the air that call is not going in the favor of Christie. 0.5
1:37 95-94 Lal Fox fouled on defensive rebound by Funderburke Call Yes Bavetta Lal Obvious bad foul
1:27 97-94 Lal Bibby fouled by Fisher Call Yes Bavetta Sac Steve: an impossible cover for Derek Fisher. Caught reaching in (?) More body contact than arm contact to me.
1:15 97-96 Lal Fox fouled by Turkoglu in paint with heavy contact Call Yes Bavetta Lal Steve: he's reaching and trying to slap the ball away
0:52 99-98 Lal Shaq makes basket with some minor contact by Webber with no call for the and1 option No Call Yes Bernhardt Sac
0:43 101-98 Lal No call of foul when Bibby goes baseline for missed fg…MB wants call No Call Maybe Delaney Lal -0.8
0:20 101-98 Lal Blocking foul on Fox as Turkoglu moves in left corner Call Yes Bavetta Sac Steve: Fox trying to get what he thought was going to be the game winning play but instead got the blocking foul
0:19 101-100 Lal Intentional Foul on Kobe by Christie Call Intentional All
0:12 103-102 Lal Non call on forearm to chin by Kobe trying to break free of Bibby to catch inbounds pass No Call Maybe All Lal Bibby also at fault for grabbing Kobe 0.5
0:11 103-102 Lal Intentional Foul on Kobe by Christie Call Intentional All
0:02 105-102 Lal Intentional Foul on Horry by Turkoglu Call Intentional All

Sorry to break the news to you OP
NBA games are fixed, not all of them, but where there are millions and millions of dollars to be gained, the league will make sure it goes in their favor.

Michael Wiborne of ESPN and Washington post said " too many call in the fourth quarter were stunningly incorrect, all against Sacremento, I have never seen officiating in a game of this consequence as bad as that in game six"


Would you like to revisit game seven of the 2000 Trail Blazer / Laker final?
Same sceneario as the aforementioned 2002 example.
The league would lose millions if Portland gets to the finals and not Los Angeles.

Portland's defensive guru's Scottie Pippen and Sabonis were each fouled out on four highly questionable touch and blocking calls.
Especially Sabonis who got fouls five and six on phantom calls, with Sabonis out, Portland was forced to use Brian Grant on Shaq.
How do you think that worked out. The allegations were for the refs to get Sabonis out of the game.
There are more suspicious calls in this game, but you get the gist.

2006 Heat / Mavs
Dwayne Wade went to the free throw line 25 times.
25 times !
Watch the replay of the game, experts have, 1000 times over, it's proven Wade was never touched, clear to the naked eye five times.
Five ghost, phantom fouls on the Mavs on Wade alone. Doesn't matter if Dallas had six more field goals, and eleven more rebounds than Miami, as long as the Heat get to the line 49 times, on bullshit calls, Miami is going to win.
49 to 25 was the difference in free throws.
Wade alone went to line 25x, same as the whole Mav team.

Oh, is it coincidence, in 2006 Converse, T-Mobile, Gatorade, and Lincoln automobiles were major paying advertisers in the playoffs.
You know who was the spokesperson for all those companies/corporations?
If you guess Dwayne Wade, you'd be correct.

Cuban got fined 250 K for screaming this at the scorer's table "F**k you, f**k you, your league is rigged" to Stern who was by the scorer's table right after the game.

Where there's smoke, there is fire.

Q? What's the difference between the WWE and the NBA

A. At least Vince McMahon admits his WWE is rigged.