[mrustow]

So far, the mainstream media are telling basketball fans, "Are you gonna believe us or your lyin' eyes?"

[Oschisms]

Actually, the day I realized basketball was fixed was when they moved the 3 point line, outlawed hand-checking, and generally made the game more offense-friendly. This happened, coincidentally, the season after the team with the best defense in the league, the Knicks, lost the championship by a basket.

It's fixed, all right, but not necessarily for the benefit of large market teams.

[socal_parrot]

Any doubt that the outcome was rigged was erased when, with one minute left in the game, Kobe Bryant tried to get free of tenacious Kings guard Mike Bibby, in order to catch an inbounds pass. Kobe got free, alright. He smashed Bibby in the nose with a forearm.

The correct call would have been a holding call on Bibby. This shows the writer's true bias. He's probably upset that he can't play with his cowbell for a few months now.

[kailbo]

This article sounds like it is just from a disgruntled fan but, the fact remains, the refs are bad. Every single time Shaq shoots a foul shot he steps over the line before the ball hits the rim / basket. He only shoots 50%, but in reality he's shooting 0%. But no opposing coach has ever made an issue out of this to my knowledge.

[Taliesan]

I thought the officiating was bad the other night too, (I was rooting for them) but the simple fact remains that if the Kings had hit their foul shots they would be playing for the championship.

Nobody did that to them. They did it.

[d14truth]

IF the playoffs were fixed, I would look to the NBC, not the NBA. A new television deal is on the table. How would the 'ratings' be for Sacramento & New Jersey? Wouldn't bode well for selling the 'advertising minutes'. The NBA is selling the whole season and ALL teams, TV is buying the 'playoffs' and the 'PRIME TIME' advertising minutes. Who needs the 'ratings' for the coming series?

[RabidBartender]

A lot of these Kings fans are starting to sound a lot like those folks, who after the 2000 elections complained the Supreme Court 'appointed' President Bush. The following is my list of why the Kings lost.

1. Rick Adelman is a worthless coach who always has great athletic teams, and somehow finds a way to lose. In Game 7 at the start of the 4th quarter, he tells his players: "They have 2 players, we have 5. Stop the 2." Rick Fox, Robert Horry, and Derek Fisher go on to score 16 of the Lakers' 27 4th quarter points. Good call, Rick.

2. Bobby Jackson ignited the Kings in the first half and helped them to a 7 point lead. After halftime, why did Dippy Rick keep him on the bench until 2 seconds were left in the 3rd quarter? Especially when Christie was bricking everything.

3. Someone mentioned a King airball and a possible fix. That was Stoyajokovic (sp?), who had a sprained ankle and really shouldn't have been in the game.

4. If the game was fixed, why call the ticky-tack foul on Kobe with less than 10 seconds to go in the 4th which allowed the Kings to tie the game? Yet, on the ensuing play, there was no call on Bibby on the same fould? Yeah, and Bush was selected, not elected. (/sarcasm)

5. Vlade is a small forward trapped in a power forward's body. He cannot play defense, whether it be against Shaq, Horry, or anyone. He knows his defense is worthless, so he flops, trying to trick the officials into calling fouls. And it worked in the first 6 games. IMO, if you flop and cry to the referees on EVERY %$^@#ING PLAY, you don't need to be playing - you are an embarassment to the game of basketball. Of course Horry and Fox flopped as well, but they rarely were given the calls like the Kings were.

6. Chris Webber is not a team leader. He has been a failure since his days at Michigan (timeout! timeout!) and lacks the leadership necessary to lead a team to a championship. He is a Mark Aguirre or an Adrian Dantley, at best - a scorer with no hope of stepping up to the next level.

7. Note to Dippy Rick - have the team shoot free throws at practice. If your team shoots 30+ free throws and converts less than 60% of them, don't freaking whine about the referees. Grow some huevos and accept some responibility.

The Kings were close to winning, but choked at the end due to the lack of leadership, quality coaching, and patience. To win next year, this is what they need to do: a)re-sign Bibby, b)coerce Adelman into accepting an office position with the organization and hire anyone, heck, my little sister could probably deliver, and C)ship Divac and Christie to Miami for Alonzo Mourning - giving you a starting lineup of Bibby, Jackson, Stoyakovic, Webber, and Mourning. I think you can compete with the Lakers then.

Although a sick, twisted part of me wants to see Bibby sign with the Lakers just to further infuriate the Sore Losermans.

[XGMan]

A telltale sign of NBC (Announcer)CASH-COW objectivity:

KINGS make a basket = "YEESS"

LAKERS make a basket = "YYYYYEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS, WHOOOPPEE, FAAANNNNNTTTAAASSSSTTTIIICCCCKKKK !!! "

[mrustow]

fyi

[mrustow]

fyi

[mrustow]

fyi

[mrustow]

fyi

[Peacerose]

Incredible! Thanks for the flag!

[Ol' Sparky]

Did the referees fix or alter the baskets that Kings shot free throws at in game 7?

[mrustow]

FYI

[mrustow]

FYI

[mrustow]

fyi

[mrustow]

fyi

[mrustow]

fyi

[mrustow]

fyi

[mrustow]

fyi