Sickening! That is the best word I can think of to discuss the the 2010 NBA Finals. I should be considering the buzz words like rivalry, great or exciting. But none of that applies quite frankly. The NBA has inserted their company men and they have literally had an impact on almost every play of this series. Even in Game 2 (the one of three games that the Celtics won), the Lakers out shot the Celtics 38 to 19 from the free throw line before the intentional fouls at the end of the game (41-26 was the final tally).
Game 1 and Game 3 of the NBA Finals were the two worst officiated games I have seen since the 2002 Western Conference Finals Game 6 when the Lakers were going for a three-peat. And I know it is no coincidence that it is the Lakers receiving the benefit of the calls. It is no coincidence that Joey Crawford (ref) was officiating in Game 1. It was no coincidence that Bennet Salvatore (ref) was on the floor in Game 3. It will not be a coincidence when we see Bob Delaney (ref) make an appearance or when we see Crawford come in to play again.
This is not the National Basketball Association. This is World Wide Basketball. The only thing missing is microphones and the referees throwing in hoops at key times themselves. And Doc Rivers could stand to throw a chair now and then when those terrible calls are made. As it is, he has just smiled gratiously at the myriad of bad calls. To his credit, he understands the politics of it all. He is not going to give himself a coronary over this stuff.
Also it is no coincidence that referee crews are not announce in advance. After all, Stern needs to use his go to guys in the right situations. And it is no coincidence that the refs are paid per diem in the playoffs. After all, the refs that rig the games right should be rewarded.
The officials have called love tap fouls and and phantom calls for the entire series. I watched on one play, where Kobe Bryant ran into the lane, had an easy seven foot shot, but he wanted the and one or free throws in case he missed it. And knowing the ref's propensity to give his team calls, he faded back, shot the ball as he neared the ground and acted like he got hit and banked it in. And one!
The refs successfully pulled Ray Allen out of commission in Game 1. In Game 2 it was Garnett. Game 3 it was Pierce. I counted seven bad calls in a row at one point in Game 3 (and then I stopped counting!).
At one point in Game 1 when the Celtics were trying to make a comeback in a game that was already never a game thanks to the officials, the refs called two bogus call in a row and gave the Lakers four free throws instead of two misses.
I do not want to see Derrick Fisher slide in after Ray Allen has already jumped on a two on one break (with KG) and the refs call a charge and reward that type of bunk. I do not want to see charges on guys that run in and throw it out and a guy flops. Those after the fact charges have no place in basketball. We never dreamed of trying that crap in the eigtees. You would get laughed at for even trying it.
It is truly sad. The Celtics could be up three to zero in this series. But they are too busy playing five on eight that we will never know how it would have went down. I do believe that the Celtics have been the better team. That is clear. They are solid one through five at all times on the court. But while the Lakers have had improved efforts from the supporting cast (guys like Gasol and Bynum), it is clear that Kobe's one on one mentality would not trump the Celtics team play in a properly officiated series.
But it is clear that the NBA is salivating to pimp Kobe's five rings. To this day, they love the fact that the flashy Dwayne Wade has a ring instead of the goofy German, Dirk Nowitzky. It's much better that the slick hair Riles got a ring instead of the goofy Mark Cuban. And I say this as a guy that rooted for the Heat that series. And yes Wade had one of the greatest championship series, but its hard to truly evaluate its value, knowing that the officials gave him so many bogus calls.
Bogus calls put people in foul trouble, they alter how players get guarded, they alter momentum, they alter stat sheets. They alter results!
If this was not Celtics vs. Lakers I would have turned the television set off after the second bogus foul called on Ray Allen in Game 1. The officiating is flat out offensive. I cannot even call it officiating. Altering maybe? Interferring? In fact. I'm not going to call them officials anymore. They are but interficials. That's right. I'm making up a word to describe the despicable nature of the NBA interficiating (officiating). The Company Man moniker simply does not go far enough.
Picture: Although many of the interficials are quite well known. The way they conduct their business is more reminiscient of the Smith clones in the Matrix.
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