Crawford's boys and the Lakers beat the Spurs - 2008 NBA Western Conference Finals (NBA officiating corruption)

Knock at the door

Who is it?

Goons.

Who?

Hired goons. (emphasis added)

Hired goons?

Credit: Scene by 'Simpsons'

Unfortunately, this is not just a scene from Mr. Burns world ('Simpsons'). Though if it were, David Stern would be saying 'ahh Popovich, I hope Crusher and Low Blow (hired goons) didn't hurt you.' Teams all over the league are hearing that metaphorical knock, every time they match-up with a higher rated team. And the hired goons are the NBA refs.

Not too long after I writing about how bad officiating was very costly to the Jazz in their 2008 Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Lakers, I’m back telling you how it happened again in the Lakers vs. Spurs 2008 Western Conference Finals.

I hate to be saying it. I don’t want to be marginalized as a ‘conspiracy theorist’. But I’d be derelict to my commission of telling the truth if I didn’t write about what is painfully obvious: That the refs officiating is affecting games in the Lakers favor.

Game 1 of Lakers vs. Spurs set the stage for the series

Before the now infamous no-call of Fisher on Barry at the end of Game 4 there was terrible officiating in Game 1 of the Lakers and Spurs. In that game, the Spurs went up by 20 and blew the lead and the game. But what happened besides the Spurs choking that enabled that to happen so fast? Because championship teams do perennial championship teams 20 point leads in half a quarter?

The NBA knows that once a game gets much past 20, viewers tune out. The refs call the game accordingly and we all know it.

Knowing that, Derrick Fisher mugged Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker on their drives to the lane. There were no whistles to stop it. The rest of the Lakers followed suit and the rest of the rattled Spurs started taking all types of off-balanced shots. The Spurs would lose a game that never should have even been close.

The Spurs would never get that Game 1 choke out of their heads. Losing a 20 point lead in an opening game on the road against another good team is hard to recover from.

The game 4 dagger, The nail in the coffin, or rather the whistle in the pocket!

The NBA stated that through the benefit of instant replay, that Derrick Fisher appeared to foul Brent Barry at the end of Game 4. That was an announcement worthy of the accolades of Slick Willie (Bill Clinton) himself. The announcement is a shady attempt by the NBA to exonerate themselves and sell themselves as sincere and fair.

The league got the benefit of the bad call and are pretending like they were upset by the lack of the call. But if they really cared, then would they not say that the refs that missed that call will no longer be allowed to officiate for the rest of the playoffs?

That would make sense given the amount of qualified refs at their disposal. But there is no chance of that happening. That would counter the message the league has already sent to their refs. The message is that the league is more prosperous when big market teams win and refs it is advantageous to the refs to realize that and act accordingly.

The NBA is well aware of the growing belief among its fanship that the NBA is rewarding refs when the higher rated team wins; whether with monetary bonuses or the opportunity to ref more games, including the higher paying playoff games. But the league has calculated that such considerations will subside and fans will be happy with sensationalism over substance.

Joey Crawford continues to be a black eye for the league and an open sore for Spurs fans

If this is a truly hot button issue, why then would Joey Crawford be in the building, let alone refereeing the pivotal Game 4 of the 2008 Western Conference Finals, given his intrepid history with Spurs superstar, Tim Duncan?

Crawford was suspended for months for the unfair treatment of the Spurs star, Tim Duncan. The NBA can say that he served his time, but this is not a societal issue. This is a business matter. Fans of the San Antonio Spurs deserved better than having such an egregious figure ultimately control their fate. Crawford was right there watching Brent Barry's knees buckle right before he got off a shot that could not even hit the rim.

The Spurs played a sub-par series, but what is overshadowed is that people would say the same thing about the Lakers had the calls went the Spurs way and it was Spurs going into Game 5, up 3-1. I don’t recall a series in which the officiating had such a big effect on the total landscape of the series. But I am not surprised.

Last thought

It is sad that the league is emasculating it's own legacy. We all lost the chance to see the Spurs have a fair chance at going for that illusive back to back championship and solidifying their dynasty with five rings in ten years. All that said, the NBA is banking on the idea that not many fans will be put off by this and that even more will be sold on the ‘dream series’ of the Celtics and Lakers.

They would be right. I have no delusions that my writing and that the writing of others will be anything but a fly buzzing in the league officials ears. The league knows they got what they want and that this is going away sooner or later. As long as the league discretely cheats in moderation they know they will be fine.

In the meantime, if the Lakers go on to win the championship, don't forget the asterisk. Phil Jackson should be able to appreciate that.




NBA Officiating Corruption Articles:

The refs: The Lakers sixth man? - 2008 Western Conference Semifinals (NBA Officiating Corruption)

Crawford's boys and the Lakers beat the Spurs - 2008 NBA Western Conference Finals (NBA officiating corruption)

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