So, I have finally come to the realization that it will be a Boston Lakers matchup in the finals. My main point in starting this thread was the officiating in both the Rockets game a few days ago and then again the Cavs vs. the Wizards. Not sure if anyone else caught this game, but the last few minutes when wizards were up it seemed like Stern called up the masses and told them we have to let Lebron keep winning. I mean these were some of the worst calls I have ever seen. It's just incredible thinking about it when you compare the physicality in the Celtics and Lakers game to that of the Wizards and Cavs game. It was like a player could not even tap Lebron with a finger and there was a foul call, just absolutely ridiculous. There were two plays that stood out the most to me. Lebron drove left to the baseline and takes the layup, hardly and contact if any and a foul is called. On another play, Lebron is at the top of the key takes the three and the defender doesn't even touch him and a foul is called. One thing to keep in mind is Wizards are up this whole time until around the final minute and once again the refs rob another team of a victory just so Stern can be happy. Things like this make me not want to watch NBA basketball b/c it is clear that certain teams are favored which is inevitably to maximize profits. Call me an idiot blast me if you like, but it is clear to me that games are fixed and if not fixed they are influenced to a point through fouls and no calls, that make these games rigged. /rant
Theres no doubt in my mind the refs are told to give special treatment to some teams and players. The best case of this is obviously the Heat/Mavs Finals when all Wade had to do was get within 10ft of the basket and he was going to the line. The league obviously chooses the teams it likes and the players it markets and they get the special treatment. I've watched a few Hornets games lately and its amazing how many times Paul can get fouls just by dribbling straight into someone even though he heads in their direction and makes the contact. The Rockets are on the hate list no doubt about it which is always going to make it tough. The Spurs and Lakers get reffed very lop-sided their favor and the Jazz get rewarded time and time again for flopping while Yao gets hammered and gets nothing and gets called for at least one phantom foul a game. The Suns and Pistons are probably the only legit teams that seem to get as bad of a run as we do. The thing I don't get with Yao is that except for the fact hes Chinese he seems to fit the criteria for being a Stern protected player. You would think he has drawn more money for the NBA than any other player. He's as known worldwide as much as any bball player ever. Hes also no risk to do anything that would look bad on the NBA... yet they protect a money hungry guy like Lebron... If the Rockets arn't playing give me a college game, euro or international game any day as they are true 5 on 5 games... the odd bad call but they all even out eventually... not in the NBA.
sorry but the wizards gave that game away with stupid turnovers and questionable shot selection down the stretch. we cant really complain about lebron getting fouled on his 3 pt attempt because we got a guy who gets that all the time even if hes on one leg.
You start your post saying that the Cavs won't make the finals over Boston. The rest of your post talks about all the favoritism toward LeBron and the Cavs. Where is the support for your first statement?
overall it's clear that boston is better than cleveland, lebron gets all the calls and they have played an easy schedule...no one is saying they are a bad team, just not as good as their record is indicating.
and again last night versus the Heat..... I'm not going to say anything is rigged.....that would be equal to finding out Santa isn't real, but I'm starting to wonder about the Cavs games. The last 3 have all ended nearly the same way.
If you want robbery, you should have seen the Heat/Clippers game a couple of weeks ago. With 7 seconds left, the Heat stole an inbounds pass and had a breakaway to take the lead. An inadvertant whistle stopped the play DURING THE BREAKAWAY. The ball was given to the Heat with 3 seconds left and they couldn't get a good shot and lost. That's the worst goof of the year in my book and it actually changed the outcome of a game. It was on par with what Ed Hockeley did to the Chargers in the first Broncos game.
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IfSfIrhE8X0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IfSfIrhE8X0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>
Is their some sort of award for having a good record after thirty games and statistically dominating bad teams (as the Cavs were doing until very recently)? No? Didn't think so. The Cavs had a hot start last year too, and Lebron was a lock for MVP until the all-star break. Let's not buy them the trophies just yet--esp. given the fact that they can only edge mediocre teams with referees protecting golden boy Lebron "he's stoo-pid" James. /haterade over
People need to stop being bitter about the Cavs because Houston lost to them in a close game. Cavs are #1 in scoring and #1 in defense in the league and are you telling me that is because of the refs too? Anyone who watched some of the cavs games this season can tell you these guys are for real. Sure they don't have a fancy roster like the boston, lakers, and rockets, but they hustle and play hard nose defense. Instead of complaining about the refs, why not look at their own team and wonder why its not as good even with better players. Is Boston, Lakers better than Cavs? Definitely, on paper. Does Cavs have a shot at beating these two teams in playoff? damn right they do
What?Without the help out of the refs sometimes in the game,they ain't gonna STEAL the win from the opponents they were taking on,especially when they host a team at their homecourt.Damn.I just can't believe it. I don't deny 'em their effort on the court to keep winning and defending the basket.That's the effort we Houston Rockets lack of.Last time I saw our rockets hustle and play hard in a game was that 2OT Utah game. I didn't buy the theory about the CONSPIRACY from our commissioner Mr.Stern.But some of the close game the Cavs had this season so far in some ways were fixed by the refs.
Cavs did get some calls on their home court, but so do most of the home court teams. And did those calls guarantee those wins? definitely not. People talked about Yao had early fouls, that happens all the time and goes with Bynum and Howard. Unless you are telling me him elbowing Wallance by accident is not a foul. Not to mention their center fouled out early in the 4th and only have 6'10 PFs guarding Yao and gave him 10 Fts. Rockets had a chance to win it, but they didn't make shots. Some of the calls got Cavs back into the game, but wiz, miami lost those games because they didn't execute and couldn't make shots. A few calls do not and can not determine the outcome of the game
D-Wade touched the ref's arm before he threw the ball out and the ref was out of bounds. Tech, the clippers should be mad heat got a chance to shoot.
If that's true, then why did the refs give the ball to the Heat? Wade didn't touch the ref first and that's why he exploded after the game they were robbed.
Are you freaking kidding me?! If you go dig up replay of that possession, the video shows clearly that Yao's elbow didn't even make contact with Ben Wallace. Don't reward floppers by arguing for them...
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/U5RrvynLVBo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/U5RrvynLVBo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> They called this a foul on Chuck. Tell me that wasn't the same thing that Yao did to Wallace.
