Consider the reality, not the source - Part 2: What transpired in Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals

Convicted felon and former referee, Tim Donaghy did not need to allege cheating in Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Kings and Lakers to muddy the waters in order for ShotsHeard to have already called it the worst officiated game in NBA history. (See part 1 of this story to explore more of the possible under workings of the NBA that allowed for it.)

It only took the one viewing of that game for ShotsHeard to retain confidence in the opinion that it was the worst officiated game, even six years later. Unfortunately ShotsHeard has not been able to secure a copy of the game to refresh my psyche of what happened. But through my tenacious research efforts, I have dug up many of the atrocities that happened in that game. Without the benefit of re-watching the game, this is not an all-inclusive list of went wrong. Hopefully in the future that will be something I can bring to the ShotsHeard readers. But for now, what you are about to read will leave you shaking your head.

Kings to stay in the starting gates, compliments of the officiating

There were many bad calls throughout the game. The refs called a great many phantom fouls, including calls where there was no contact! Some of the phantom calls were on the perimeter and put the better Lakers foul shooters on the line. The bad calls happened throughout the game, robbing the Kings of any chance to build the giant 20-plus (or even double digit) point leads that the Kings had taken in Game 3 and 4 at Staples Center.

It was a game in which after the Lakers went up 88-83 with 6:50 left, they would only make one more field goal yet win the game. That would be made possible by the refs sending the Lakers to the line twenty times over that stretch, with the Lakers making sixteen. For the game, the Lakers shot 40 free-throws to the Kings 25.

What happened: The bad officiating in the first three quarters set the stage for the fourth quarter

The unwarranted foul-call barrage of the fourth quarter was only the climax to what had been an entire horribly officiated game. The referee interference started early and was a steady influence throughout the game.

Just two minutes in, an illegal defense call on C-Webb (Chris Webber). It put Kobe on the line for a free point. Only a minute and four seconds later, Kobe would be back on the free throw line again after the refs called a technical foul on Webber, for disputing a personal foul call. The refs were going to give the Lakers their points and if the Kings argued, they would give the Lakers more points was the message!

Besides the travails that the free-throw discrepancy created, the extra whistles caused foul trouble that forced the Kings to alter their line-ups and also play less aggressive. The refs knew that the Kings needed to have their line-ups disrupted early, because although the game was at Staples Center, the Kings had shown great comfort in playing on the road. The Kings had taken 20 plus point leads in Game 3 and Game 4 at Staples. The Kings had also won their first five road games in the playoffs before surrendering their 24 point lead in Game 4 on the now famous Robert Horry game winning three off of a Divac tip-out.

With the Kings on an 8-2 run and 3:19 left in the first period, it started. A defensive foul on Divac. Then on the Kings next possession, Divac was handed an offensive foul. Two quick fouls meant it was time for him to go to the bench.

Divac was the only Kings defender that could play Shaq straight up, due to his strong build, quick feet, and toughness in being able to take Shaq’s offensive fouls. When Shaq lowered his shoulder, as he almost always did, he fouled the defender with a thrust into the defender's chest that would be the envy of any NFL fullback. Only years later did the league start properly calling those fouls on Shaq.

But the refs weren’t going to call those fouls at a time when Shaq was in his prime and his bulldozing opponents and the pundits could just claim he was just so 'huge' and 'dominant' and that you 'better get out of his way'. Every time Shaq had a huge game, the cash register rang loudly for the NBA.

The Kings did have another center in Scot Pollard who could also contain Shaq. He was not as strong one on one on Shaq though. But usually he could contain Shaq long enough for the double team to come over either from the weak side with Chris Webber or from the pesky defense of Doug Christie, who was in his defensive prime and was the best defender in the league. Christie was so good on defense, he would stay in the game even for long stretches when he could not buy a bucket.

But as the game went back and forth, with the teams trading baskets, the refs took their shots on Pollard too. If Shaq lowered his shoulder and ran over Pollard the whistle would blow. If the 330 (possibly more like 360 lb) Shaq grazed Pollard on a Move, a foul was called on Pollard. He would have three fouls by the 7:20 mark. In only eight minutes and 34 seconds of play, Pollard was half fouled out.

The third foul was on Pollard an and-one dunk by Shaq. Again, I cannot comment on which fouls were real and which ones were fake as I don’t have the benefit of rewatching the game. However, I will say the Kings were very familiar with the Lakers game. Consequently their rotation on Shaq was the best in the league. So all of the fouls were looking preposterous and unwarranted.

The Kings did not mind giving up fouls on ‘The Diesel’ in an effort to prevent an easy dunk. If that could not be done, they’d let him have the dunk and they conserved their fouls for when they would really need them. But it did not seem that such conservation would be allowed in this game. Even Chris Webber who usually had only one to three fouls in any given game, had two at the half and finished the game in foul trouble with five fouls.

After Pollard’s third foul, Divac came back for his second stint on the floor and played possibly the most spotless defense of his career. He picked up no fouls and would not give the officials an opening to call a foul. During his second stint in the game, Vlade held Shaq to five points on two of five shooting from the field.

During that same stint, Divac scored nine points on four of six shooting. He added three rebounds and made a three-pointer at the buzzer to put the Kings up 56-51. With Divac outplaying Shaq, the Lakers seemed doomed to be a half away from making plans for fishing and golf. But the Lakers' sixth man (the refs) were not finished putting their stamp on the game.

In the third quarter, Divac continued to play brilliantly on Shaq. He would limit Shaq’s ability to get the ball deep in the paint where he was deadly. In the time Divac played Shaq in the third quarter, Shaq was contained to two for four shooting on seven and nine foot made field goals (no dunks allowed).

After picking up his third foul at the 8:03 mark in the third quarter, Divac refocused on being careful as to avoid picking up his fourth foul before the quarter ended. But the referees found an opening; calling him on the rare loose ball foul call with 3:05 left. The Kings were up 71-66 and Shaq going to the line for two bonus free throws as the Kings were over the limit. Shaq would make the two free throws and cut the lead to three.

Pollard would enter the game to spell Divac. Twenty-two seconds later, Pollard was given his fourth foul on an and-one play to Kobe (see picture above) touch foul play. The league has a history of giving Kobe did often get the benefit of many touch plays and even ghost calls that should never have been called. This was one of those touch plays.

Those two third quarter fouls on Divac and Pollard put both their big men in trouble, erased a five-point lead and swung the momentum back to the Lakers in the space of 22 seconds!

The Kings coach Rick Adelman had a choice to make. Should he keep playing Pollard or bring in the 6’8” Lawrence Funderburke to put on Shaq. A soft Pollard or small Funderburke spelled trouble for the Kings either way.

The Kings would weather the storm, keeping Pollard in the game. Pollard would not pick up any more fouls in the quarter. And the Kings may have even regained control of the game, if the normally dead-eye shooter Predrag Stojakovic was making his threes. Playing on a severely injured ankle though, he missed both attempts and the Kings and Lakers went into the fourth quarter tied at 75-75.

The infamous fourth quarter

Adelman chose to conserve Divac for the stretch run of the fourth quarter, electing to start Pollard. As if that was his choice because the refs had their whistles ready.

Just twelve seconds into the fourth quarter, Pollard was called for an offensive foul. That’s right the guy who is merely throw it into the post so he can kick it out to a shooter Pollard was somehow called for his fifth foul.

Adelman still wanted Divac for the stretch run and left Pollard in the game. But on the next possession the Lakers went to Shaq and the refs went to their whistle, giving Pollard his sixth foul, 27 seconds into the fourth quarter. On Pollard’s sixth foul, beloved national sports columnist, Michael Wilbon wrote,

“When Pollard, on his sixth and final foul, didn't as much as touch Shaq. Didn't touch any part of him. You could see it on TV, see it at courtside. It wasn't a foul in any league in the world.”

Pollard was gone and in only 11 minutes of action! The refs would no longer need to concern themselves with him. Send in Divac, but not for too long since the referees would be undeterred by fairness in this game.With 8:29, Divac was called for a shooting foul on Shaq. Describing Divac's fifth foul and Pollard's sixth foul were not fouls Wilbon noted,

“They weren't subjective or borderline or debatable.”

One foul away from fouling out, Divac went to the bench. Funderburke time! The man who was small in stature even for a power forward would have to guard the most dominant center in the game (Shaq).

The Kings would hang tough though and were only down 89-85 when Divac re-entered the game with 5:33.

The Kings would go on a 7-2 run the one minute and 43 seconds with Divac back in the game, taking a 92-90 lead. But at the 2:56 mark in the fourth and the score still 92-90, Divac was called for a shooting foul on Robert Horry. Divac was gone!

The Kings would be forced to try to win with Funderburke and Webber trying to contain Shaq. They just may have had a chance still if a new set of referees were brought in.

But the officials unfortunately the officials could not be ejected and the Lakers shot free throws on five straight possessions, taking a 99-96 lead with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers would go on to take the game 106-102.

Adding it all up

In the fourth quarter, the Lakers shot 27 free-throws to the Kings nine and the Kings were the victim of several phantom calls and several calls that were borderline at best. The Lakers won the game despite only making one actual field goal in the last six minutes and 49 seconds of the game.

When it was over, it was not just Kings fans and Sac Bee media that felt slighted. Although most of the national media (certainly in part due to material interests) were really quiet on the bad officiating. But others in the media were willing to speak out. Wilbon wrote that too many of the calls in the fourth quarter were "stunningly incorrect."

USA Today sports journalist David Dupree wrote,

"I've been covering the NBA for 30 years, and it's the poorest officiating in an important game I've ever seen."

How bad was the officiating? At one point Kobe Bryant sent a horizontal pile driving elbow to Mike Bibby’s face right in front of Bob Delaney. Delaney refrained from making any call.


View all five parts of the series: 'Consider the reality, not the source'

Part 1: It doesn't take a convicted felon...

Part 2: What transpired in Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals

Part 3: NBA personnel reactions to the 2002 Western Conference Finals officiating and Donaghy allegations

Part 4: Stern tries to whitewash the issue of NBA corruption regarding the 2002 Western Conference Finals

Part 5: 2002 Kings legacy stolen

Part 6: Another NBA smokescreen, ESPN in on the act