NBA Voodoo: David Stern Fixes the Playoffs

A Different Drummer ^ | 5 June 2002 | Nicholas Stix

[mrustow]

Article argues that NBA Commissioner David Stern wanted so much for the Los Angeles Lakers to extend their two-consecutive NBA championships to a "threepeat," that he fixed the Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings.

[Almondjoy]

I'm in orange county surrounded by Laker fans.. duh.. I'm a bulls fan.. I grew on Jordan so what can I say? Anyways you're right.. the game ultimately was decided by who made the shots and who didn't.. the refs can help all they want.. but the players still have to make the shots.. free throws whatever. Here's the deal.. the guy in the ESPN article is right on.. some of those calls were outright ridicuous and if there is a person anywhere on this thread that disputes the fact that when players like Valde who in my opinion played the series of his life against Shaq gets crappy calls and fouls out doesn't change the game dramatically? can frankly eat my shorts.. it was because of those calls and thus the protective playing that Valde and Christie and others had to do because they had 5 fouls is what changes the game. Sure you can say who sank the shots all you want. But a player has to let up or at least change his game in order to adjust to his fouls.. thus the Kings got screwed. Anyone who watched all 7 games I think would agree with me. I give the credit to the Lakers on making their shots.. but the foul trouble of Valde and others is what gave them the series.

[Utah Girl]

Jordan was poisoned? We can only wish. He had a horrible case of the flu one game in the Finals against the Jazz, and smoked them that night. The Jazz just kind of choked when it counted, just like the Kings did Sunday night.

[diamond6]

Here we go again. Ok. I'm going to give you a chance to answer what no Queens' fan has yet had to guts to answer.

What do you think the officiating was like in Game 5?! Or was that conveniently erased for your memory banks? That game was the biggest travesty in the history of sports. I think what happened in Game 6 is that the refs finally called fouls a foul.

Here's a sample of just the last 11.8 seconds: Do you think:

1. allowing Webber to hit the ball out of bounds and then give it to the Kings;

2. allowing Webber to knock Fisher on the ground during a moving screen to free Bibby for his final shot; and

3. allowing Jackson to undress Kobe and hold his arm, preventing him from driving and disrupting his shot;

was enough to win Game 5 for the Kings?

How about the one foul shot Shaq had the entire game,even though he made 9 total dunks with people hanging all over him, and 17 shots total for the game inside the key? How about the fact that Shaq and Kobe were in foul trouble for some ludicrous foul calls, ultimately resulting in Shaq fouling out?

[diamond6]

You didn't hear about the pizza he ate the night before?

[cgk]

They're not my Kings. Just another team that nearly got in the way of David Stern's chosen dynasty.

I'm absolutely SHOCKED that all LA names can't see the truth through the smog (that's sarcasm). The team with the most endorsements wins in the NBA. That's how the Stern-mafia likes it.

Enjoy the riots!

[Zack Nguyen]

I say he shouldn't even be in the league.

Shaq is a fantastic player, but you may get your wish in the next few years. The Sporting News reported a short time ago that Shaq's weight upon entering the playoffs was a stunning 380 pounds! (as opposed to the Laker's media guide which has him at 315.) His nagging injuries probably come from the enormous weight that his skeletal system is required to haul up and down the court at high speed. Unless Shaq gets back down to a sane weight, he may find injuries force him out of the league, especially as he approaches his early and mid-30's.

C'mon, does he really need to weight more than 320 to force every other center out of the lane on his way to yet another dunk?

[diamond6]

They're not my Kings. Just another team that nearly got in the way of David Stern's chosen dynasty.

That really sticks in you craw doesn't it?

[cgk]

If you are not familiar with the ruse Bibby was using to pull Kobe toward him you don't know hoops!

Of course, the infamous, "If I put my face like so, then I can have an elbow drill my nose halfway to my brain and have a foul called on me" ruse. A classic.

[diamond6]

BOO, HOO! Good you'll be one last whiner, as the Lakers continue their dynasty through the year 2004, at least.

[cgk]

Queens' fans don't talk logically

And Laker fans are such clear-thinkers. Tell us all about how Kobe was poisoned again...

[diamond6]

I'm still waiting for a response to my questions re. Game 5, Logical Wonder.

[kellynla]

Can't believe you have been "jousting" with these guys all day...Gotta go! Have a good one!

[kellynla]

I love the smell of napalm in the morning! LOL

[diamond6]

I'm still waiting for your response Chewy. Cat caught your tongue? Or did you run out of arguments?

[diamond6]

I don't like Phil's politics, but he's an awesome coach. Kobe's a great guy, family man, and a team player. Shaq's funny and a stand up team player as well.

[freestyle]

Either way, conspiracy or not, two of the game that the Kings won were during the two worst days of Kobe's food poisoning. What if, if, if, if, blah, blah, blah, whatever.

And I know it is standard talking points to say that Shaq gets away with murder (as far as fouls go), but no one accounts for how many hacks he is just expected to deal with because of his size. He is a giant playing among men, and it is very difficult to objectively make calls. He takes hits on his body that would send the normal size player flying into the stands (or out of the arena if it were Vlade), without even flinching. Very often, these hacks are never called. But when he bumps someone 200 pounds lighter, even slightly, of course the refs are going to see the contact.

I would bet any amount of money that if a group of pro refs were to watch every play involving Shaq over the entire season and counted both missed calls against him and missed calls for him, Shaq would be on the short end of the stick.

[freestyle]

I mean, you ever watch what happens to him as he moves toward the key as he is coming down on offense? Talk about getting a shoulder layed into your back... all night long.

[cgk]

Send me the tape of Game 5, and maybe you'll have a debate. But since I'm not a Kings fans, I wasn't watching all that closely.

I do remember the Lakers complaining, but that's par-for-the-course whenever they lose.